Fate
by Yusagi
Summary: UPDATE CH 15! Welcome to Corel, home of the Gold Saucer! What If Cloud didn't meet Aeris in the Church? What if Sephiroth did...How would the world change do you think?SA fic
1. First Meeting

_Disclaimer: I don't own SquareEnix_

AN: this is my revision of Fate, why? because my old one sucked! ;p Any way, I write more on this new site called as yusagithewhiterabbit I put my original stories and remakes of these there for 1-5 star reviews with replies....quite good, but they charge for author access....I'm still gonna write here, of course!

_---------------------------------_

_"I won't leave you Aeris..." Zack whispered, his Mako eyes glowing brightly in the moonlight._

_He brushed a bang out of her face, "Not ever."_

_He was so handsome and sweet...so kind and nice....so perfect...._

_"I'll never leave you....."_

**Chapter 1: _First meeting_**

A beautiful, long haired, brunette, tended to her flowers in an old church. The church was the only place they would grow in this wretched city...Midgar...oh, if only she could get out!

_Oh Zack...if only you'd come back and take me out of this place...._

The large cathedral doors creaked loudly behind her, and the woman turned her head quickly to see who had entered the church.

A tall, pale man stood in the doorway, his left hand warily grazing the hilt of an incredibly long katana. The man's piercing gaze cooly surveyed the nearly empty church, before turning to her.  
His long platinum hair spilled down his back to his knees, perfectly groomed, and one lustrous bang partially covered his chiseled face.  
The dark leather he wore about him, and the heavy iron belt around his abdomen contrasted vividly with the shockingly white pauldrons he wore over his shoulders. Most of the man's features were hidden by a flowing black cloak, clipped to his pauldrons

The woman felt her throat tighten as it dawned on her who he must be...

_But how? The Great Sephiroth is dead..isn't he?_

"Get out." Came the cold voice of the man.

"Wh-" The woman started, but before she could finish, the blade of the legendary sword 'Masamune' was pressed against her neck, and the imposing man was standing just inches in front of her.

"I won't ask again."

"I-I..." The woman stuttered, terror gripping her throat, she noticed his grip tighten on the blade, and cringed unconsciously, " I-if it's shelter you want...m-my house w-would do better..."

The woman shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself, when she saw the man tense slightly, as if to finish her.

_I am ready to return to my mother..._She thought to herself, unconvinced

The death blow did not come. Instead, she felt the cool blade on her neck move away, and heard the scape of metal on leather.

"Where?" Came the cold voice.

The woman barely peeked an eye open, to see an emotionless face staring at her intensely.

"Th-this way.." She mumbled nervously, heading towards the door of the church. Though she couldn't hear him behind her, she could feel his presence, and knew he was following.

It was not long before they made it to her little house, nestled in a little peice of heaven, sheltered mysteriously away from the filth of the rest of the slums.

She paused to glance behind her, sure enough, he was standing directly behind her, striking an impatient posture. She had already known he was there; on the walk to her house, a couple of Hell Houses had attacked. Before she could react, she saw the flash of steel, and saw Sephiroth standing over two dead Hell Houses, with a bored look on his face.

"I-I'll have to tell my mother..." She whispered, too quietly for most ears to hear.

All she got in reply was a low growl. Quickly, She hurried inside to inform her mother of the special company.

"Mom! I have a visitor!"

" Oh, Aeris! Is _He_ a-" Her mother started, smiling, then cut off with a strangled gasp.

Sephiroth, if it truly was him, had decided _not_ to wait outside.

"Mom...meet Sephiroth...." Aeris sighed, then looked towards the annoyed general. " We have an extra room-"

"Whatever!" The man snapped, cutting her off. "I will not be disturbed."

Aeris nodded weakly, but the general was already walking up the steps.

FF7

Sephiroth surveyed his surroundings cooly, he had decided he would need some form of shelter to avoid those pesky ShinRa patrols while he rested. It was not that he minded the killing, not in the least.  
He simply felt that to properly contact his 'Mother', he needed solitude.

Usually it was easy to find solitude, but today...today was different, he felt driven to find something different.

_How irritating it is that I don't know what _kind _of different..._

His eyes fell on a lone church, leaning against the sector gate.

Without thought, he calmly walked up to the door, it was slightly ajar, and there was a soft, almost pleasant, humming coming from inside.

_Wonderful....people. _Sephiroth thought to himself, frustrated.

He cracked the door open slightly, and scanned the interior of the rundown church. His hand rested softly on his trusted katana.

There were several rows of old, worn out, pews. The only light in the church filtered in curiously through the small circular stained glass window; creating a ray of light that filtered down onto a patch of flowers.

The whole scene was very odd, seeing as no flowers were supposed to bloom in the dark city of Midgar.

Instantly after registering the flowers, his aquamarine eyes fell on a slight and oddly attractive woman.

She was wearing a drab pink dress, and had her long luscious brown hair was tied up in a braid.  
Her large, beautiful, emerald eyes were wide with shock, and her small mouth was hanging agape.

A quick glance told him she was harmless, and another told him she was young and fit.

_Why in the world am I noticing these things?_

_She is obviously a caretaker of this place.... If I kill her, I doubt she will be missed._

For some reason, he felt like giving a rare show of mercy.

Instead of killing her outright, he ordered her to leave.

Rather than obey him, she started to speak. Not in the mood to converse with a peasant, he decided to it better to simply kill her anyway. Just as his blade was about to slit her delicate throat, something stopped him. Perhaps he would spare her...again.

_What is getting into me?_

"I won't ask again." He said levelly, noting with satisfaction that her brilliant emerald eyes were glazed with terror.

The girl breathed something incoherent, and he was ever so tempted to cut through her soft flesh and rip out her voice-box with 'Masamune'. So tempted was he, that he tensed his muscles ever so slightly. The girl noticed his movement, and snapped her eyes shut, a bead of sweat running down her face. Sephiroth couldn't help but smirk slightly.

" If your looking for shelter...I'll take you home..." She blurted suddenly

Sephiroth raised a thin eyebrow slightly, considering her offer,

_INo...she is far too much an annoyance to endure any longer._

He was about to kill her, when something caught him. There was a flash of materia in her luscious brown hair...Manipulate?...No...this was something else...

As he watched her small chest rise and fall shakily, his interest was piqued, and he decided to follow after all.

Giving a final glance to the dilapidated church, it _was_ hardly a proper place to contact his 'mother'. Carefully, he sheathed his sword, noting the small dot of blood on her neck left from the tip of Masamune.

"Where?" He asked. The girl opened one eye slightly, trembling, then whispered for him to follow her, scurrying towards the door.

Silently, Sephiroth followed, swatting the monsters that attacked during their trip.

When they finally made it to what appeared to be her house, she glanced back at him, and ordered him to _wait_ a moment.

Angered by the fact that a _girl_ was ordering him, and overall being frustrated that his plans were now off-kilter, he almost killed her...._again_.

Once more, he caught himself, and settled for a dangerous growl instead. The girl jumped slightly, and scurried inside.

Quickly, he lost patience and entered anyways.

A woman, who bore absolutely no resemblance to the pink-clad one standing directly in front of him, cut off what she was saying, and stared at him in shock.

_What an annoying woman._

The one in pink turned to him with beautiful emerald eyes, and said, "We have a room--"

_What is wrong with me? Why am I acting like this? I shouldn't get so worked up over a girl's voice, no matter _how_ perfect–No! Why am I _acting_ like this??_

"Whatever. I don't care." He growled, fighting away his confusing thoughts.

Irritably, he charged up the stairs to the obvious bedrooms. When he opened the door, his eyes were assaulted with bright pink, and various other 'girly' things.

It figured that her rooms would look this way.

Grudgingly, he sat on the bed to contact his 'mother'.

Suddenly, the door clicked.

FF7

"I can't believe your taste in men." Her step-mother, Elmyra sighed, " First that SOLDIER, and _now_?.."

"I-it's not like that mother!" Aeris insisted. She glanced at the clock, it'd been an hour since she put the bread rolls in, so she got up and arranged them on a plate, to take up to their guest.

_What a couple _that_ would make. Me, the mother-in-law to Sephiroth..._Elmyra thought, as she watched her adopted daughter climb the steps to 'Sephiroth's' room, with breakfast.

FF7

When Aeris opened her bedroom door, she saw a flash, and the now all-too-familiar Masamune was once again at her throat. The General seemed to realize who it was, and his feral look was replaced by one of surprise, an instant before it melted into a cool emotionless mask.

"What are you doing here?"

"I..This _is_ my room. You've been sleeping 5 hours now."

The man narrowed his eyes, before saying, "Oh? And how would you know if I was sleeping or not?"

"Because I had to turn off the lamp you left on. Unlike _you_, we have to _pay_ for our power. Now, are you hungry or not?" Aeris huffed angrily.

'Sephiroth' seemed to only now notice the fresh, buttered biscuits on her plate. Arbitrarily, he plucked one up with his free hand. He sheathed Masamune, and said curtly, "You may go now."

FF7

Sephiroth unsheathed Masamune with inhuman speed and grace, and had the blade at the offender's throat by the time the door had opened enough for him to see who it was. To his surprise, the pink-clad woman stood there with a startled expression on her face. Quickly, he stopped himself from spilling her crimson blood any further, " What are you doing here?"

The woman seemed to bristle slightly, and stated that it was her room, apparently he had 'slept' 5 hours.

_And_ _how would this girl know if I had slept or not?_

He decided to voice the question.

"Because I had to turn off the lamp...It's not free you know. Now, are you hungry or not?" The girl huffed. She pointed to some fresh-smelling rolls on a platter that had previously gone unnoticed by him.

He slapped himself mentally for being so careless. He then grabbed a random roll, and told her to leave, closing the door before she could reply.

_Am I ill, that I am slipping up so much?_

He wondered, taking a bite of the plump biscuit. The biscuit was warm, soft, and amazingly buttery. The biscuit was one of the best pieces of food he'd had in a while, actually.  
Absently, he glanced at it, wondering if she had baked it herself, before clipping Masamune to his belt, and walking out the bedroom door.

As he walked down the poorly carpeted stairs, he could hear the girls' annoying mother say something in his direction. Pointedly he ignored it, and walked towards the door.

"_NOW YOU LISTEN TO ME YOU UNGRATEFUL WRETCH!_" Came the woman's voice suddenly.

Surprised by her sudden outburst, Sephiroth glanced over at her. She had her hands on her hips, and it appeared as if the girl in pink was futilely trying to calm her.

" ...You waltz in here unannounced! Stab my daughter, threaten to kill her, sleep in _her_ room, leave the lamp on, eat _her_ food, and even yell at her for going into _her_ room. And you're not even giving her _ANY COMPENSATION?!_"

Glaring, Sephiroth was about to point out that he'd left her alive, but the pink one said the very same thing quicker than he could.

_Smart girl._

Narrowing his eyes, he asked, with a touch of annoyance creeping into his voice, " What do you want, Woman?"

"Well..." The woman said, getting a sly smile on her face, " How do I know you're even Sephiroth? Isn't he supposed to be dead? You are probably a look-a-like!"

_A look-a-like?...foolish, annoying woman!_

Sick of her constant annoyances, Sephiroth drew Masamune, preparing to do the entire universe a favor. Before he could react, somehow the other woman had leapt over the table, and grabbed his wrists. She begged for him to forgive them, and leave them in peace.

Something about the young woman made him comply, and he decided to give the annoying one another chance.

Just one, though.

"What do you mean?" He asked blandly, "How shall I prove it? By killing you?"

_Well..That was worth at least _ONE_ shot..._

"No..." The woman answered, " They say Sephiroth was a great kisser you know...so, Aeris should know if you are who you say you are. If you kiss her, that is."

Instantly, the woman--Aeris', face went from flushed to sheet-white. Even he was caught off-guard by such an absurd proposal.

_I should have known...._

It seemed 'Aeris' had not expected her to say it either. It was quite comical how she pleaded for her mother's life, going so far as to claim her mother was very ill.

_What an old excuse..._

"Well?" Came the voice of the..._mother_

_I suppose there is no reason _not _to...it's not as if I haven't done anything like this before..._

Casually, he leaned down and brushed his lips against her surprisingly soft and moist lips.

It felt...strangely familiar...

"_FAAAKEEEE! OBVIOUSLY A FAKE!_" The ever-annoying one said.

Her chances waere used up, and so was Sephiroth's patience. This insolent woman would die. If he had to take down all of Midgar, he _would_ kill this wench!

With inhuman speed and grace, he unsheathed Masamune and leapt at the woman, preparing to cut out the woman's voice box. Before he was halfway there, his blade contacted familiar flesh.

ff7

Aeris sighed as she sat at the table next to her step-mother.

"Do you like him?" Elmyra pried

"Like him?" Aeris asked incredulously, the man was a mass-murderer!

"Well...he _is_ attractive, isn't he?"

Attractive? He had ultra-fine, chiseled features, long, flowing, hair, glowing aquamarine eyes, milky white skin.... oh, he was _unbelievably_ attractive!

_That is all beside the point!_

"Um....I suppose he is...but-"

Suddenly, she saw Sephiroth walking down the steps. He finishing off the roll he had taken, spilling not a crumb, and licking off his gloved fingers when he finished.

Elmyra followed her gaze to the man, and smiled a warm greeting. Naturally, he completely ignored her.

Aeris silently watched the phantom-like man walk to the door as if to leave. She wondered why this man, straight out of children's fairy tales and horror stories, had not killed them.

Then her mother started screaming at him.

In a sudden panic, Aeris jumped up and immediately tried to calm her mother down, but to no avail.

Aeris could almost _feel _Sephiroth's agitation, why couldn't Elmyra?

"_Mother!_"

"...and not give any _COMPENSATION?!_"

"Stop it Mom! He hasn't killed us at least! Leave him be!" Aeris cried, shaking her mother.

"What do you want?" Came the surprising reply from Sephiroth.

"Prove you're who you say you are."

Before she could even process what her mother had just done, she heard Masamune being unsheathed.

Frantically she leapt across the table to where the man was standing, and pleaded for him to spare them.

He gave her an oddly considering look, before sheathing his sword and asking Elmyra how he would prove it.

"Kiss Aeris." Her mother said smugly.

_No...wait....she _couldn't _have just said that...._

The stunned look on Sephiroth's face said otherwise.

Aeris felt the blood drain from her face, this was the end. Death was now certain...

Despite knowing it was hopeless, Aeris begged desperately for his mercy.

He looked at her cooly a moment, then his face softened the merest inch.

Could it be?

" Well then?" Elmyra insisted from behind her, obviously she had inhaled too much Mako exhaust when that last reactor exploded...

Before Aeris could start another string of excuses for her mother, the General leaned down and lightly kissed her.

In the single instant that his feathery lips touched hers, she felt a jolt of lightning lance through her, and she stood breathless a moment.

His eyes glowed beautifully as he drew back, staring down at her mysteriously.

Her mother screeched something, and Sephiroth's molten orbs went from soft to fire. He growled menacingly, and lunged at her mother, sword drawn.

In desperation, Aeris leapt in the path of the blade...no matter what, she could not just let Elmyra die!

The blade easily sliced through her flesh, and pain exploded in her mind.

FF7

For a moment Sephiroth stated at the woman who dared leap in his way, shocked.

A high-pitched yelp interrupted his thoughts.

Instantly, he yanked the sword away from the girl. The wound did not appear too deep, but such a fine blade was often deceptive...

_What is wrong with me? Why am I not just killing her as well?_

Despite his mental objections, he quickly examined the wound closer. The wound was bleeding far too profusely to not be fatal, left on it's own.

Cursing, he quickly placed a gloved hand on her throat, and concentrated. Instantly the Mako engergies that surged through his body bubbled up to his palm, and flowing into her throat. Soft green light filtered though the cracks in between his fingers, as the Mako formed a 'Cure' spell and healed her wound.

The pink-clad woman opened one eye slightly. Her eyes widened at what she must've seen in his eyes.

Wincing slightly, he berated himself for letting his emotionless mask slip, and quickly put up his defences once more.

The woman had such beautiful emerald eyes....they seemed like endless pools of precious molten gems. A stray bang fell across her pale, perfect face. He only now noticed how beautiful her long, soft brunette hair was.

"--That was a lame excuse for a kiss...If you..." The annoying one rambled on, snapping him out of his reverie

"_MOTHER! SHUT-UP! Please!_" Aeris begged, sounding more than a little annoyed at her mother.

He couldn't blame her there, her mother would be her death warrent.

"Do you get some kind of perverse pleasure from forcing your daughter to kiss strange men?" He snarled.

The woman went sheet-white. For once, blessedly, she shut up.

He figured he was correct, and barely repressed a satisfied smirk.

He glanced one last time at the porcelain angel named Aeris, before turning to leave.

"Wait!" Aeris said suddenly.

Surprised, Sephiroth glanced back, and saw her offering the plate of rolls, "You....you...might want these..."

He glanced at the warm, delicious,buns a moment, then at her molten emerald eyes.

Without thinking, he reached down, and pulled her face up to his, kissing her deeply.

He heard the plate clatter to the floor, and the mother gasp, but he didn't really care. Her lips were soft, her mouth warm and so sweet...he'd never felt anything like this before....

_Why am I doing this?!_

Shocked, he pulled back, trying desperately to slip back into his cool mask.

The breathless girl fell weakly into the chair behind her.

Quickly, he mumbled an excuse and scooped up the biscuits, hurrying out.

FF7

Aeris heard a small gasp, and instantly the blade moved away from her throat. She still felt so weak, and blood ran freely down her neck.

She was going to die.

_This is it?_

Suddenly, she felt a strong, leather gloved hand on her throat, keeping the blood from spilling out. A moment later, a warmth spread throughout her body, causing the pain from her wound to cease.

She peeked one eye open, curiously. To her shock, Sephiroth was staring carefully at her, as if he was _worried_ about her! His look changed to one of surprise when he realized she'd noticed. His expression quickly shifted to confusion and slight annoyance, before melting into the cold emotionless mask he usually wore.

His aquamarine eyes glowed with Mako, so much like her old beloved. They were so deep, and so full, she could get lost for eternity in those eyes.

His look again changed to something like concern. He seemed to see her for the first time, his eyes tracing the patterns of her face, hair, and body.

Then, as if it had never been, his entrancing look turned into a glare.

His ire was directed behind her; and Aeris realized her mother was _still_ insisting insanities.

_So that was what had broken that perfect moment...what should have been eternity..._She thought to herself.

Finding a source for her anger, Aeris' depression quickly melted, and her patience snapped.

" _MOTHER! _hut-up before you get us killed!"

Sephiroth spat something at her mother, and turned to leave. He paused a moment to glance back at Aeris, sucking her deep into the endless sea that was his eyes, then started to open the front door to leave.

In a sudden desperation, she cried out for him to wait. To her relief, horror, and joy, he did.

Quickly, she picked up the plate of biscuits, as he glanced back, and mumbled a sorry excuse.

He seemed to study the rolls a moment, then his eyes traveled up her figure to her eyes.

As she stared into his haunting, endless eyes, he suddenly reached down with a cold hand and cupped her cheek. He pullied her up to his face so that she was on her tip-toes, and pressed his mouth against hers.

His lips were ice, but the inside of his mouth was like fire. Unlike most warriors, it almost tasted...sweet. Carelessly, she let the plate clatter to the floor, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and wove her fingers through his soft, silky hair.

What seemed both an instant and an eternity later, Sephiroth jerked back, with a strange and confused look on his face. Quickly, he detangled himself from her, and backed up. His face changed expressions wildly from confused, worried, frustrated, angry, to one that was unknown to her, where it was firmly staying put.

She fell back into her chair weakly, dazed. His expression changed to worry for an just an instant, before his features smoothed once more.

He quickly mumbled a 'thank you' and grabbed the discarded biscuits, hurrying out.

He....left....

FF7

"It's a trap!!" A spiky haired blonde man yelled. He flung out his arms to catch a burly, dark-skinned man, and a slight brunette woman.

Low-level ShinRa soldier's swarmed towards them.

"Quickly Cloud! This way!" The girl screamed, pulling him the opposite way, only to run into more.

"Dey was waitn' for us!...Jessie....Biggs....I hope dey escaped..." Barret, the dark-skinned man, said grimly.

"There's no time to worry about them now! We need to concentrate on the battle...." Cloud said calmly.

He drew 'Buster Sword' fluidly, and prepared for battle.

Suddenly, an all-too-familiar voice came from behind him.

"So...it seems we have finally apprehended the terrorists"

Cloud whipped his head around. There stood only several feet infront of him the balding and very fat, President Shinra.

"You!!" Cloud gasped

"Do I know you?" The President asked

Irately, Cloud walked towards the man, and said, "Don't you remember?! I was a 1st class Elite SOLDIER!"

"Eh? There are too many of you to remember your names....unless you become another Sephiroth...eheheehe..." The man laughed

"Why you!--" Cloud started, but a helicopter flew up from under the President, and the man hopped on.

"Well.." He laughed, "I'd love to stay, but I have a dinner appointment, so here's a little gift instead!"

Suddenly, a huge robot drove through the metal doors of the reactor onto the metal bridge, knocking Cloud violently backwards, and separating him from his partners.

"I....Am....Air....Buster....will...kill..." It said mechanically.

Growling, Cloud leapt up into the air, and performed 'Braver' technique, imagining the robot was the fat President. The gigantic blade he wielded nearly cut the robot in half.

A large explosion blasted the front of it as the thing tried to turn around.

"Must.....Must....." The thing chanted, shaking

"Yeah! Shut up you trash can!" The girl, Tifa, yelled happily, doing a jump-kick into it.

"Get away from it Tifa!" Cloud yelled, suddenly backing up. Small explosions riddled the inner workings of the machine.

Quicker than he expected, the machine erupted into a fireball, taking a sizable chunk of the bridge out with it.

The explosion took out where he was standing as well. Only his lightning-fast reflexes enabled him to latch onto a jagged edge of the bridge, leaving him hanging precariously over a 500-foot drop.

"_CLOUD!_" Tifa screamed from across the gap.

He turned his head to see her horrified face, and Barret holding her her out of the reactor Barret....This is going to...." Cloud started

"_No!_ Don't say that!" Tifa screamed

".....I got it..." Barret nodded.

A moment later, the charges they had set at the reactor core went off, taking the rest of the reactor with it.  
As the flaming inferno reached him, he gave a final glance back towards Tifa, then let go of the doomed bridge, plummeting to the slums below.

"_CLOUD! NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_"

----------------------------------

AN: there we go...chapter 1 all done, was that so painful? (yes...)

Yusagi Sombermoon


	2. Adventures Begin!

Disclaimer: I don't own FF7...or their story would be more like mine! LOL

AN: Before you leave! I DID change stuff! that's why it's a REVISION! see if you can spot the (non-grammatical) changes!(If you do this without out the aid or a personal copy of the old one...you may be paying too much attention to this fic...:p)

Okay, enjoy the next chapter, I try for humor . . . I really do .

BTW . . . Seph and Aeris aren't gonna keep moving their relationship forward as fast as when they first met ... don't worry. . . but that doesn't mean they aren't gonna go anywhere with it, either . . . ( what I mean is, in this chapter, or any near it, they're not ahem gonna do nothin' 'nasty' . . . )

And I still stand by what I said...'Sefiroso' or whatever doesn't count! that's japanese!

SO! I know you all want me to update, but as I am unable to do so, (due to eh..technical difficulties) so let's revise this stuff!

* * *

_Fate_

**Chapter 2:** _**Adventures Begin!**_

Aeris sat at the table in silence, lost in thought,until her mother coughed to get her attention.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Him to rush in with black roses? Don't let that boy get away from you! Not after all I worked for!"

"_What?_" Aeris coughed, staring at her mother incredulously.

"Go after him! Hurry! He went toward Sector 6!" Elmyra said hurried, pushing Aeris out the door, and shoving her 'Guard Stick' in her hands, before closing the door.

Dazed, Aeris looked down at the staff, then at the slums around her, and touched her lips softly.

_I'll risk anything to find him again...even his wrath at me following him..._

She ran through the worn and abandoned streets heedless of buildings around her or the leering watchers from the windows, racing in the direction she hoped Sephiroth had went, hoping against hope to catch him again.

As she made it to the sector gateway, she thought she was a flash ofplatinum hair, and quickly turned the corner after it. Sure enough, Sephiroth was walking a short distance from her, unhurried.

Finding that she had no words to explain herself, she followed after him at what she hoped would be a safe distance.

Unfortunately, when he got to an uneven gouge, where anyone normal would climb down the make-shift lader on the other side, Sephiroth merely jumped down. Frustrated, Aeris barely bit off a curse, then only just remembered to drop to the ground before Sephiroth glanced up at the sound.

For a time, it seemed there would be no more troubles as she followed him through the ruined road that once ran through the entirety of the Midgar sectors; until an unexplained accident on the road had taken the life of the eldest son of the President Shinra, and he'd had it shut down. Since that time, vandals, monsters, and the constant shifting of the floating city had broken up the road, making it so that few people came to Sectors 6, 7, or 8 without a train. In fact, most people thought the road was cursed, or even haunted by the souls of the people whose lives it had taken.

It seemed she would be the first to make it to Sector 6 by this route in at least a decade without any dangerous or fatal accidents. Until, that was, they made it to a sheer cliff with a pipe made slippery by the leaking rainwater that pounded down through the cracks in the upper plate, leaning against it...presumably for climbing. Nearby wasa crane with a basket, which most people who actually came through would use to get up the cliff without risking the suspicious pipe.

Of course, Sephirothleapt deftly to the top of the cliff, landing gracefully on his feet andknocking not a pebble from the unstable cliff's edge.

_If I follow the normal way, by that noisy crane, I'll be caught instantly...and the explanations will be even more awkward if I get caught 'stalking' him._

Resisting the urge to sigh, she realized the only way up way the pipe, except that her dress made climbing almost impossible and that would be too slow at any rate, there was only one option left to her...walking up to the pipe tight-rope style.

At first, it wasn't as hard as she had thought it would be, though her garden-variety boots did not grip the wet pipe well, and she nearly slipped twice, she had nearly made it to the top when she noticed Sephiroth was getting out of sight. Carelessly, she tried to speed up her pace, but in her hurry she misplaced a foot on an especially slick spot, and slipped off. For a moment, she seemed to be suspended in air, and time seemed to slow. She heard a loud 'crack' and blinding pain shot like lightning up her leg from her right ankle.

Biting off a scream of pain midway though, she shut her eyes tight, tears leaking out regardless of her efforts to stop them, and cradled her broken ankle in her hands.

She heard a low rumble, Sephiroth, perhaps? Opening her eyes despite the searing pain from her wounded ankle, she saw a huge Hell House--the soul of...well no one knew that, actually--aiming a large rocket at her.

"...You...killed us...you filthy living fiend...you...killed us..." It rasped in a _horrible_, tortured voice.

Though terror gripped her, she refused to cry for help...if she would die, she would die with dignity.

_But...I don't _want _to die... _Frantically, she looked for her staff...it had skittered across the broken pavement when she had dropped it while falling, and stopped several feet away from her...out of reach.

She turned her face back to the Hell House, _There is no getting out of this one...no fearless knights to leap in and rescue me...not this time...I am all...alone...and weak..._

She closed her eyes to brace herself for the final blow, and turned her head away as the Hell House made a final rasping comment and a hollow laugh.

Instead of the sound of a missle being launched, the feel of heat, and death..she heard a crash and an almost familiar laugh..._Sephiroth?_

Instantly, she opened her eyes, and saw Sephiroth standing over her with a small smile.

"Do you always hurt yourself? Or do you only do this when staring at men you shouldn't?" he asked cooly, but something in his tone hinted at mirth, and she realized he must have been making a joke. Before she could quite form a reply, he noticed her mangled ankle. "Are you alright? Can you stand?"

Afraid of appearing weak, she nodded.

Sephiroth walked over to her staff and picked it up, inspecting it and tossing it lightly in his hand, as if testing it's weight and grip. "Hm..You really shouldn't drop these."

Aeris gave a weak nod, forcing a faint smile, then tried to get up, causing pain to once again lance up her leg to her heart. Wincing, she realized she wasn't getting _anywhere _without help...she glanced up at Sephiroth, who was standing above her, seeming to be watching her couriously, as if waiting for her to do something. She certainly couldn't expect help from Sephiroth, so she realized she had better find something else to help her up, and quickly.

A strong hand grabbed hers, and gently pulled her up. Aeris leaned heavily on him and took the offered staff.

What a mistake.

When she grabbed the staff, Sephiroth apparently took it as a sign that she could stand on her own, and let go of her hand. Pain surged through her leg to her chest, causing her to cry out in pain and throw all of her weight onto the staff.

"Let me see that..." Sephiroth said calmly, looking at her ankle, and bent down to study her foot and ankle through her boot. She couldn't help but wince and draw in a sharp breath when he touched it experimentally.

He instantly detected her reaction, and retrieved a materia orb from his pocket. "Cure!" He said firmly, and a warm liquid feeling filled her body a moment, before the pain disappeared.

"Th-thank...you..." She whispered weakly, smiling.

To her pleasant surprise, he smiled back at her, and kissed her hand lightly."Be more careful, and you won't have to thank me so often."

As he stood up, it was all she could do just to continue breathing as she stared speechless into his eyes, a moment later, he seemed to swallow softly, and looked away from her.

"Excuse me, Milady, but what were you doing here?...In this dangerous Sector?"

"I..." She started nervously, she had known this time would come, "I...followed you..."

He glanced up quickly, mild surprise registering on his perfect face. "I...am...ashamed to realize that it was my fault you were in such danger."

_It's amazing how his demeanor has changed..._

"But...It's alright, you saved me.." She said, _Besides...I would have followed him no matter what...butI can't tell him that yet..._andso shesaid, "You'd make an awesome bodyguard!"

"But...what would you pay me?" he said, looking at her, then quickly averting his eyes once more.

Surprised, Aeris stood speechless a moment, then remembered that most ex-SOLDIER were mercenaries and such, and he was probably quite serious.

"Well . . . uh . . . I . . . don't have any money . . . but . . . if you'll be my bodyguard, I'll go on a date with you!" she blurted, saying the first thing that came tomind.

"That . . . profits you . . . not me." He said, with a ghost of his naturally cool tone in his voice.

"Oh . . . right . . . I . . . wasn't thinking . . . " Aeris sighed, _There is no wayI could ever repay him...HIM for becoming MY bodyguard...I doubt he'll even let me follow him now..._

"Well..."He said suddenly. "How is this? If you can keep up with _me _to where I'm going, I'll be your bodyguard for free--just for a little while?"

She nodded immediately, and then her gaze fell on the slippery pipe.

_How will I..._

Two strong arms lifted up, and flew her through the air. When she looked up to see the face of her captor, she met Sephiroth's twin aquamarine globes directly.

_**F/F/7**_

Sephiroth walked through the beaten road to the Sector 6 slums in graceful silence, trying to clear his mind.

_How could I have _kissed _her like that? What has gotten into me?...and why do I want so badly to turn around?...well...perhapsI will return, once my job here is finished...and...and then what will I do?_

The ideas that came into his head were confusing...surprising..._but not altogether unpleasant..._

**_"Son!" _**Came a horrid voice from nowhere...and then, perhaps he would _not _return.

_"Yes, Mother?" _Sephiroth replied softly in his mind.

**_"How can you think such things? You are wasting precious time!"_**

_"I am not wasting time, Mother." _Sephiroth started, but his mother cut him off sharply.

**_"Don't you argue with me! Just get here quickly!"_**

_"Mother..." _He began, but she had already cut the connection, and he doubted she would return soon, except, perhaps, to chew him out again.

He did truly 'love' and respect his mother, but there were times he wished she wouldn't vent her frustrations out on him so often...

He heard a rustle behind him, someone was following him. _Who?_

He hopped down the hole infront of him, to test the follower. Judging by the vile curse that was cut off, he suspected it was a soldier, when he glanced up though, he saw only a flash of brown.

_Strange...I'll ignore him for now, though... _He thought, then added with a dry sarcasm. _Wouldn't want mother to _wait _forever..._

Calmly, he went on, hopping over cliffs and such, knowing that the soldier posed no immediate threat to him. he heard a loud 'crack' and a very feminine by-now-almost-familiar cry of pain.

_Aeris!_

He turned around in an instant, and walked to the edge of a sheer cliff he had just passed, and looked down.

Six feet below him,he saw a remarkably largeHell House standing over the crumpled form of Aeris.

_Is she dead?_

Upon further investigation, he noted hat she was quite alive,though judging by the set of her jaw, she was preparing herself for death.

_She gets herself into trouble alot, doesn't she?_

The creature who was aiming a missle at Aeris, laughed hollowly. "Now...you...get to feel my pain...pitiful human..."

_The gall of that undead weakling!_

Fury coursing through his veins, Sephiroth drew _Masamune_, and leapt off of the cliff.

_I will not let Aeris come to harm!_

_Why? _Nagged the back of his mind.

A moment was all it took, before the 'undead' house shuddered and collapsed into pieces of burned-out wood. Sephiroth ignored the creature's corpse, however, and instead turned his eyes onto the beautiful woman...

_Beautiful? Why do I even care? I must truly be mad... _Sephiroth afforded himself a light chuckle at the thought, and the girl instantly opened her eyes. The unshed tears glistening in her eyes made her emerald pools shimmer magnificently, and he had to mentally slap himself at the idea of leaning down and brushing away her tears, just to stop himself from doing so.

Trying to distract himself from her beauty, and perhaps in some secret part of his mind, to make her smile...threw out a joke that his...

_No...not a friend._

Before he could decide what to call the mischevious SOLDIER from his memories, he noticed that she was gripping her ankle tightly, wincing from the effort.Without thinking, he asked if she could stand on it.

To his relief, she nodded. A metal gleam caught his eye, and he turned his head to look at it, _A Guard Stick..._

He picked up the flimsy bit of metal, and made a light comment about it, before walking up to her with it. He did not miss her wince as she tried to stand, and the hopelessness in her eyes as she glanced up at him for help disturbed him.

_Why should it...? As if I would help her..._

Despite the voice in nagging him in his mind, he gave into her plea after only a moment, and pulled her up, handing her the staff.

Unfortunantly, the moment he let go of her hand, she cried out in pain and fell heavily on her staff.

He grimaced, _I was afraid of that..._

Absently, he bent down on one knee to investigate her delicate ankle. It had a jagged cut, and a bump the size of his tumbnail on it. When he touched the wounded ankle experimentally, it drew a sharp hiss from Aeris.

_Broken.._ Without another thought, he took a _Restore _materia from his cloak, and chanted quickly to cast Cure.

Aeris gave a weak thanks, and he couldn't help a soft smile.

_Why! _His mind insisted.

Taking her tiny hand in his, he kissed it lightly, and said, "Try not to get in trouble, and I won't have to help you so often, Aeris..."

Her eyes stared up at his, drawing him into them, beautful emerald jewels...the ideas and thoughts that flooded his mind as he looked into those eyes both scared and angered him.

_I am above human beauty..I've seen it all before and I can have whomever I please...innocence means _nothing _to me...beauty will only betray you later! _His mental rant still did not allow him to turn his eyes away from hers.

Squashing his roaming thoughts, he forced himself to look away from her, to ask her what she was doing here...in as civil tone as he could manage.

"I...I followed you..." She whispered, cheeks tinged with shame.

_Of course then, she was the one that was following me..._ He realized. By the way she had stared at him, he knew he was not the only one affected by that strange and spontanious kiss. _Meaning it's my fault she was injured._

Feeling a strange, and quite rare, pang of guilt, he apologized as best he could. As he spoke he accidently looked back into her eyes, and had to battle away the darker desires of his mind before he could avert his eyes once more.

She smiled and shrugged it off, before asking absurdly for himto be her bodyguard.

_Me? The Great General Sephiroth, a bodyguard to a mere slum girl?...Why am I even considering accepting her plea?_

"But you have nothing to pay me with." he said, once more making the mistake of looking at her.

Before he had to fight another battle in a war he was quickly losing, he corrected his mistake, and looked away, trying to erase the picture of her perfect face from his mind.

**_"I don't understand your problem!" _**Came the voice of his mother. **_"I see it is obvious that it has been too long since your last woman...what? 5...6 years?"_**

_"Mother!" _He snapped, bewildered. _"What does the fact that the last time I allowed myself to stay with a woman--_her_--was not long after my mission to Nibelhiem, have _anything _with the situation I am in now?"_

**_"Son...son...son..." _**His mother sighed.**_ "It is only natural for a human to desire someone like her...but you should not let her distract you so. If she so interests you, wouldn't you please get her out of the way quickly? I don't like sitting around in this tank all day, you know."_**

_"MOTHER!" _He snapped back, shocked. _"I am having enough difficulty dealing with myself, without your help! What I mean to say is..."_

**_"Fine...but whether you sleep with her or kill her, would you do it quickly and help me!" _**His mother snapped, and disappeared from his mind.

He realized then that Aeris had offered a form of payment...one that would be far too dangerous for him to accept, a...date...

_Oh, no, no, no...that would make me _far _too vulnerable to such thoughts as Mother expresses, besides..I am above such things!_

Quickly, he turned it down, though a part of him hoped she would insist on it.

Her face fell at his words, and she mumbled something with a sigh. Sephiroth found himself biting his lip slightly, in pity.

_Pity? Absurd! That's...not it..._

"I--if you can keep up, I'll be your bodyguard for as long as you wish.

When she nodded eagerly, he barely held back a wince. _Oh, that was...very...bad...wording._

He noticed her staring wistfully at a slanted pipe, apparently the only way up. Without thinking, he scooped her up, bridal-style, and leapt to the top of the cliff. When he glanced down to check on her, his eyes met hers...pure, molten emerald...He could feel himself drawn toward herm and as he stared into her eyes he began to lose the battle withing him. He could not help but imagine her soft, moist lips once more, and her thin...delicate body...quickly he snapped himself out of it, and dropped her.

As she looked up at him in surprise, he shrugged and rushed off. His mind was a battlefield, and most ofthe troops of reason lay on the bloody ground, the unknown army that assailed his senses seemed unending...

**_"Oh would you CUT THE DRAMATICS already! She's just stupid Cetra!" _**His mother snapped suddenly.

_"Cetra?"_ He replied, courious.

There was a slight hesitation, before, **_"Wh-what? What are you talking about, Son?...Will you quit playing games with that silly tavern wench and figure out whether to sc--"_**

_"She is no tavern wench, Mother." _He said, cutting her off. He did not often do such, as it often infuriated her, but at this moment he was more worried of her words renewing the battle within him, than of her quicksilver wrath. _"She has earned my respect, and I will not simply _use_ her."_

**_"Then LEAVE HER!" _**His mother snapped, and 'slammed' the mental door between the two of them shut. He doubted she would be back for some time.

_She has to go pout, after all... _He couldn't help but smirk at the image of his mother pouting in a corner. He sighed, _I'll have to apologize for being so rude and disrespectful to her...I don't want her to leave me...she is the only one in the world that truly cares about me...even though she has quite a temper..._

He smiled slightly, and shrugged. _Spare the rod, spoil the child._

_"But..._is _she the only one that cares for you?" _A voice in the vack of his mind, his main enemy now, nagged him.

Sephiroth pointedly ignoted the idle thought--arguing with yourself so vehemenantly was a sure sign of insanity--and glanced back to check on Aeris. She was sliding down the side of a white thing made out of stone...some sort of slide, perhaps? Her dress hiked up her legs as she slid, to reveal quite alot of pale flesh...

He slapped himself mentally, in effect he was 'killing' his own 'troops' when he stared at her like that.

_Mother is right...there is no way I can win this war raging inside of me...if I truly respect her, I should leave now, lest I do something I regret._

_Beauty cuts deeper than swords, perfection decieves darker than serpants. _Those were the words his mother had used to comfort him, back in Nibelhiem, when he had just learned his one love had been unfaithful to him.

Oddly, the memory called to mind a picture of her...long, beautiful, green hair...she was also the result of an unfortunate expirement. Her skin had a yellow-orangish tint to it, eyes a brilliant emerald. His mind calledup a time when they were...together...the last time. Disgusted with himself, he tried to throw out the memory of her luscious soft skin, so much like Aeris'...her softvoice...

_No!I will notdwell on it! She is dead, by my hand as my mother advised... _He could still hear her screams for mercy, her terror-glazed eyes, taste the crimson blood...she never fought back against him, all she would scream was how much she loved him. She was a wonderful fighter..._What is wrong with me? I have to snap out of it! I didthe planet a favor by killing her!_

Without further thought, he leapt to the top of the Sector 7 wall.

"Goodbye, Aeris! Our travels were indeed...sweet!" he smirked, waving down at the girl. She was glaring up at him in annoyance.

_The look she has on her face...so similar to when I would play trick on--NO! She is not that woman, and she will never _be _that woman! _He frowned. _Perhaps it is her similarity that attracted me?_

Aeris sighed, and gave a weak smile, waving back at him. _She is certainly not as persistant..._ He laughed softly, _I can hear Kyoko's voice even now...yelling at me to get down there "right now or I'll have your pretty head!"_

His laughter turned to a scowl, as he looked away, _Blast it! Why do I keep remembering her now?_

He was lost in thought as he walked along the top of the wall, violently trying to rid himself of the beautiful and mysterious woman he had once loved. _Once...but no more.._

Somehow, impossibly, he heard Kyoko scream from behind him. _What? How can she..._

And then he realized that the scream _hadn't _come from Kyoko...

**_F/F/7_**

It seemed like an eternity, lost in his eyes...Aeris could almost see a battle of light and darkness raging inside him. His lips were almost on hers when he dropped her to the ground with no warning.

Stunned, she stared up at him in askance. As if in answer, he shrugged and ran off. The similarities between he and Zack were stunning..._and yet...he is so different..._

Scrambling to her feet, she hurried after him, scurrying over hills and leaping over pitfalls, all in a desperate attempt to keep up with an impossible dream.

It seemed all too soon when they made it to the barrier of Sector 7, the now abandoned 'playground'--last remnant of a road-side rest area. Sephiroth deftly hopped from the swingset to the slide, the slide to a pile of trash, and then to the door of Sector 7 before her finally paused, lost in thought.

Seizing the opportunity, she scrambled up the white boar-slide and slid down the other side to save time. Too late, she realized her dress was too loose for such an activity, and to her embarrassment Sephiroth turned toward her just in time to catch an eye-full of thighs.

_Ohhh...he _had _to look _then_, didn't he? Not even once before! _Aeris chuckled softly to herself, _He has the 'best' of luck, doesn't he?_

Without warning, he growled under his breath, and leapt up the 60-foot wall dividing the sectors. He smirked down at her as her mouth fell open, and waved a cheeryfarewell.

She couldn't help frowning at his mischevious smirk. _That is _not _playing fair!_

Her frown faded as he walked away, and she gave a half-hearted wave. _I should have made him come back...Elmyra will never let it lie..._

To her utter shock, as she turned around she found herself staring into the eyes of several soldiers.

"Now, Ancient...we have you cornered now, no one will be hurt if you come quietly..."

_Quiet is the _last _thing I'm going to be!_

Taking a breath, she tried to scream, but a soldier pounced her, and knocked the wind out of her. Before she could react, the other soldiers swarmed her, stealing her staff and struggling to tie her up.

"Help me! Someone! _Sephiroth!_"

The captain laughed at her words. "Are you crazy? _Sephiroth?_ Why would he help you?"

Still laughing, he brought the butt of his rifle down over her head, and everything went black.

_**F/F/7**_

Sephiroth spun around as soon as he heard the scream, hurrying to the edge of the wall.

"Help me! Someone! _Sephiroth!_" Aeris screamed.

_Kyoko...?_ There she was, caught in a circle of ShinRa soldiers.._Kyoko is alive..? No...wait...that's Aeris! What could they want with her?_

One of the men hit her, and she fell like a rock, instantly swallowed by the sea of soldiers.

"Aeris!" Before the words were fully out of his mouth, he was falling through the air, unsheathing _Masamune._

One of the men looked up and paled, "My god! The Ancient wasn't lying!"

"_Run!_"

"N-no! I have a family!" One cried, backing away.

In the end, hero or craven, family or no, _Masamune _struck them all down just as surely as it had any other foe that had dared to meet it's blade. _Except...no! He is not a memory to dwell on, either!_

Walking through the mangled corpses, he squatted down next to Aeris. She had numerous bumps and bruises, and a split lip, but she was still breathing--barely.

Without thought, he took his _Restore _materia, and chanted a _Cure 2_, Dark blue sparkles enveloped her, surgin like wind, sweeping away her cuts, and cleansing her bruises...leaving her looking as if nothing had harmed her at all.

But she still did not wake.

_**F/F/7**_

_"Back then...you could get away with skinned knees..."_

_What do you mean, 'back then'? who are you?_

_"Aren't you getting up?"_

_What?_

_"GET UP!"_

His eyes flew open to a world of pain, he was lying in a desolate church, there was a hole in the roof above him, and an odd light filtered down onto him from it.

He turned his head, and the world swam as spikes of pain stabbed through him. As his vision stabilized, he found himself lying on a bed of flowers. _Flowers? In Midgar? How?_

Mentally, he checked to make sure no bones were broken..._Good...everything seems fine...sore, but fine.. I guess the roof broke my fall..._

Stumbling up to his feet, he made his way out of the church and into the abandoned sector, trying to find his bearings.

**Ch end**

* * *

AN: Poor Aeris...she got a boo-boo...

Soooo...who's this secret ex-girlfriend? Think she had the gall to cheat on him?

Well...when I write my Kyoko side-story, you'll find out, won't you?

I hate Jenova...

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	3. Shinra pt 1

Disclaimer: Has anyone gotten a clue YET??? ^.^ I don't own FF7  
  
AN:   
  
SORRY I TOOK SO LONG!!!! I PROMISE NOT TO AGAIN!!!....ithink...........................  
  
PS....is it ShinRa, or Shinra?  
  
BTW: I have figured out how to use 'WordPad' instead of 'notepad' for my story...so it's a dif. font...as you can tell...or at least style...I hope...then again...It might not be...hmmm  
  
Oh yeah, Some people have been saying Seph is too soft, I noticed that, as I was writing the chapters, but then again, he has been off balance since he mat a certain chestnut-haired beauty....  
  
Oh yes, and Kyoko?? I need to flesh out her and him.....after all, why do you think the 'real' Seph didn't fall for Aeris?? Bitterness of course!  
  
No Anon flames..please, I don't want to have to shame you by deleting it....  
  
Started: January 9th, 2004....  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 3: ShinRa   
  
Pt. 1 of 2  
  
Slowly, the world came back to her, driving away all the pleasant dreams she'd had, above her, stood a now-almost-familiar sight.  
  
Sephiroth sat beside her bed, deep in thought, concern etched on his face, but when he noticed her wake, his expression quickly melted into neutrality.  
  
" Mind telling me why those men wanted you?" He asked, voicing it as a statement.  
  
" Mind telling me why you helped??" She giggled, unable to get the image of him leaping in and saving her from those soldiers out of her mind, in shining plate mail, too....  
  
He got an odd look on his face, and said, " I....certainly would be a terrible bodyguard, had I failed to."  
  
Aeris smiled slightly, then realized she had to answer him.....but how could he believe the truth? And if he did?...What would he do??  
  
" I'm not sure....I guess they really wanted to recruit me!" She said hopefully  
  
Sephiroth answered her jest with a cool frown, and said, " Haha...Aeris, I'm serious....don't play around with me..."  
  
Something about his tone made her nervous, and she looked at her hands nervously, " I'm not....just kidding around, either....Sephiroth..."  
  
" As long as you take me seriously...." Sephiroth said firmly, then continued with what he had been saying, " One of them referred to you as an 'Ancient'...."  
  
Shocked, Aeris gaped at him a moment, before composing herself, and shrugging here shoulders indifferently, of course, her gaping had given it away, so no amount of   
  
nonchalant-ness would get her out of it now.  
  
" So then.....you are a Cetra then....hmm..."  
  
Aeris shivered at that word, and turned quickly away, never had she heard that word spoken by anyone who wasn't planning on hurting, or 'experimenting' on her.  
  
" Aeris...?" She heard Sephiroth say curiously, " Are you alright?"  
  
" I... I don't know what you mean, Cetra... leave me alone!!" She pleaded, her voice a panicked whimper.  
  
" Aeris...." Sephiroth said, his hand touching her shoulder comfortingly, " I won't hurt you."  
  
" I...." Aeris said quietly, unsure of how to reply.  
  
" Aeris ...it's okay, I'll never try to use you, or hurt you....." He whispered reassuringly, hugging her slightly.  
  
" Th-thank you, Seph...."  
  
" Come on then, We need to get moving...."  
  
" 'We'..?" She said hopefully, would he let her travel with him anyways??  
  
" Well....The normal form of payment, when not money, or anything 'improper', would be room and board, with the occasional bonus...." Sephiroth said slowly, as if still considering his offer himself, " I am certainly not the usual bodyguard.....And I don't stay in one place....BUT, if you will cook for me, and.....listen to me."  
  
Speechless, she stared at him a moment, until she suddenly realized he was waiting for an answer. Swallowing, she nodded slightly, eagerly.  
  
" Good." Sephiroth said, smiling at her, " Now then, are you in perfect heath?"  
  
Mentally, Aeris checked her limbs and such, and confirmed that all was well.  
  
" Yeah, why?"  
  
" We move quickly from here on." He gave her a sidelong glance, and added, in a slightly cynical tone, " I hope that's not a problem?"  
  
F/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/F\//\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\7  
  
Carefully, Sephiroth carried Aeris into 'Wall Market', and quickly scanned the area for a suitable inn, the lively music that looped nearly endlessly through the Wall Market speakers, assaulted his unhumanly acute ears, causing him to grimace as he walked into the only available inn.  
  
The innkeeper's customary smile changed to a look of shocked terror, as she realized who had just walked in to her tiny Inn  
  
" Where's a room?"  
  
" D-d-d-d-d-done t-t-the hall..." The girl trembled, pointing down the hall corridor to the left.  
  
Calmly, he walked to the door labeled 'C-1', and laid Aeris down on a bed.  
  
Absently, he pulled a chair up, and sat down beside the bed, lost in thought.  
  
Could she truly be....a Cetra? But his 'Mother' had said they were the last.....  
  
If she truly were.....was he just attracted to strange, and unique women??  
  
Kyoko....  
  
The name suddenly resurfaced at his train of thought, and a similar memory came to his mind.  
  
Sephiroth smiled ever so slightly, as Kyoko opened her eyes, she was so beautiful, her emerald eyes sparkled like stars, and only he made them sparkle so... She was his, and his alone....  
  
He leaned down and kissed her softly, before whispering, " Come on now...if you're a 1st class SOLDIER, you have to be an example for the rest of us...."  
  
" Oh, but I am an example to all those girls out there who swoon over your very name.." She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
  
He frowned slightly, " Be lazy and you'll get Sephiroth??....Or is it be the most beautiful woman ever created?"  
  
Kyoko flinched slightly at the word 'created', but smiled any way, and said, " What do you think, Sephy?"  
  
" Sephy, huh?" He smiled, and kissed her again, " Maybe you can help me decide..."  
  
" Please! Seph! Stop it!!!" Kyoko pleaded, tears welling up in her pitiful eyes.  
  
Sephiroth only paused to laugh coldly, and say, " I should have known you would betray me.... After all, your ancestors did the same, you backstabbing little whore!"  
  
" Seph—AAAH!!" Kyoko screamed, as he brought Masamune down upon her once more, slicing her flesh mercilessly. . . . her screams were so beautiful, so much like what he had once thought of her cries during the times she had, so undeservingly, been in his bed.  
  
Kyoko lay on the bed, or, what was left of her mangled body, laid on the bed, blood soaked into the snow-white sheets, and goose-down pillow.... He hated the color white, anyhow...  
  
" You worthless whore, you ruined the sheets....." He spat, not that she could hear him.  
  
Glancing down at himself, he noted with dissatisfaction, that her blood covered him, he ran his thumb along the length of Masamune, cleaning the blade, then tasted the crimson fluid.  
  
He smirked slightly, " You always did taste good..."  
  
But, wait a minute, Her blood had always been more Mako, than plasma and red-blood cells.....  
  
He glanced at the body once more, it wore a pink dress, instead of green hair, she had chestnut-brown....  
  
Aeris??  
  
Suddenly, the corpse sat up, her tortured eyes no longer glazed with death, and in Kyoko's voice, she said, " Why do you kill us??? Why can't you let us be???"  
  
" Wh-what is going on??" He coughed, shocked.  
  
" Jenova....Jenova....Crisis from the sky....Death to us all....You bring it upon me....upon us....Your deception, your folly.." She said, in a strange assortment of voices, that he did not understand  
  
" Wh-what?? You betrayed me!! You and..."  
  
" Did I???....Nay, you were deceived, and had you listened to me, my child, our child, as you were destined, you would know...."  
  
" What are you...." He started, but then, he was sitting in the inn, Aeris sitting on the bed, looking at him, with innocent eyes.  
  
Quickly, he rid himself of any expression on his face, and said, " Aeris . . .Why were those men chasing you?"  
  
She giggled, and said, " Why did you help??"  
  
Unsure of how to reply, He threw out a random thought, she smiled, at him a moment, and then realized she hadn't answered him, and mumbled something absurd about 'recruiting'  
  
Unamused, he quickly cut to the point, the memories of Kyoko's end still fresh in his mind.  
  
" Don't play games with me, Aeris." He snapped, then calmed himself, and said. " The man called you an 'Ancient'"  
  
Obviously, his original guess was not far off target, as she gasped, and stared wide-eyed a moment, before shrugging it off as nonsense.  
  
There was no way he was going to leave it at that....no one kept secrets from HIM....Especially not when he had to know.  
  
" So...you are a Cetra....hmmmmm" He mulled, instantly he got a reaction, if not one he expected, as soon as he'd uttered the word 'Cetra', she shivered so violently, he was afriad she might have been injured.  
  
Concerned, he asked, " Aeris? Is there something wrong?"  
  
" Leave me alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She cried, looking away, whimpering, " I....I'm not yours to 'experiment' on!!!!!!!!"  
  
She was.... afraid of him... normally he wouldn't care.... why did it hurt so much then?  
  
" Aeris...." he whispered, touching her shoulder comfortingly, " I......Would never hurt you..."  
  
She looked at him, tears shimmering in her eyes, and smiled weakly, " I...I .."  
  
" Shhh... It's ok....I'll Never, NEVER try to use you...or hurt you... I swear..." He said, Hugging her tightly.  
  
" S-Seph..."  
  
" C'mon, we need to get moving if were going to make it to ShinRa quickly"  
  
"...We???" She whispered hopefully her emerald eyes shimmering in a new hope.  
  
" Well..." He said softly, barely suppressing a satisfied smirk at her confused look, " If we discount the 'improper' forms of payment, and gil, we are left with the common payment of room and board, with the occasional bonus for a normal bodyguard...."  
  
Silently, she stared up at him.  
  
" Now, I am not the usual bodyguard.....but, how's this, if you follow me, listen to me, and cook for me, I'll be your bodyguard?"  
  
After a moment, she nodded eagerly, and he couldn't help but smile softly at her, she was so naive some times....  
  
" Alright then, are you uninjured?" He asked, already knowing the answer.  
  
After a second, she nodded, and said she was fine.  
  
" Good then, we will move faster from this point on......If you don't mind." He said briskly, then was off.  
  
" Where are we going, Seph?" Aeris asked suddenly, as he made it to the street.  
  
Seph? What an absurd name to call him! They were not THAT close yet!  
  
He turned to say something about the name, but caught himself in her emerald eyes instead.  
  
She had a stray bang falling into her face, and he absently brushed it away, barely suppressing a wince, when flinched away in surprise.  
  
She seemed to have caught his momentary slip, as she smiled sympathetically at him a moment, then suddenly reached up, and kissed him lightly on the cheek, her lips lingering a moment longer than a normal peck on the cheek might, as if she...almost wished...for...something....more.  
  
Then, in an instant, she drew back, and stared in speechless silent at him, every word that he tried to say seemed to stink in his throat, in an ever growing lump, cutting off all speech on his part, and creating an almost uneasy silence between the two of them, as if neither of them quite knew what to think, and were nervous of what the other would do.  
  
Her emerald eyes drew him in, and trapped him up in them, as a hunter's trap might, the liquid pools of emerald serving to fight back the raging fire coursing through his veins.  
  
The fire ignited by her touch.  
  
Then the moment passed, Aeris blushed slightly, redirecting her eyes to the ground and mumbling something.  
  
He was unsure of what she might have mumbled, but it was of no matter to him, her moment of indecision had given him the chance to grapple once more with his sanity, and reason, and, for the moment, win.  
  
" We....really must be on the move." He said, forcing his voice to be measured, and cool.  
  
She suddenly shook violently a moment, as if struck, then straightened, and said, a mocking smile on her face, and said,  
  
" We mustn't keep your mother waiting, now should we?"  
  
With that she pranced off deeper into Wall Market, all he could do was stare silently after her for a moment, uncertain of what her purposes or even her mood, was.  
  
F/\/\\/\/\/\//\//\\F/\//\\\/\/\\7  
  
Aimlessly, Cloud stumbled into the run-down town.....Where WAS he? Absently, he looked around for someone to ask directions from; only a few, haggard and hopeless-looking people lingered outside, in this deserted-looking sector.  
  
A dog yapped in the distance, and he could here it's master yelling at it to shut-up, obviously to no avail.  
  
Cloud wished he could ask someone where he was, but the lone, emaciated woman scurried out of sight, at one glance at the Mako-glare in his eyes.  
  
Sighing, he looked around for an inviting place to ask directions, if 'inviting' was even a proper word for such a cold, and uninviting sector, but everywhere he looked seemed desolate, and abandoned, or simply closed up tight.  
  
Except, that was, a small house on inner edge of the city, build almost parallel to the sector support Pillar......It's windows were bright and inviting, and a tantalizingly delicious smell wafted out from it, and his acute ears could here the faint crash of water in the distance, as well.  
  
Hope-filled, he walked determinately towards the house, despite the dull pounding in his head, hammering ever away on his skull.  
  
F\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\F/\/\/\/\/\7  
  
Swiftly, Sephiroth walked out of the room, without sparing another word for her, and Aeris had to run to catch up with his rapidly diminishing figure.  
  
As they exited the cheap inn, it finally clicked to Aeris, that they were in 'Wall Market' a small town not far from where she had blacked-out.  
  
" Where to, Oh Great Seph?" She asked happily, instantly, he spun 'round, irritation flashing in his eyes, but in the instant his eyes met hers, they softened, and a ghost of a smile appeared on his lips, he gently brushed some hair out of her face, with two, slim, cold fingers. Unconsciously, she flinched away, remembering all the people he had slaughtered, with no more a thought, than he might flicking off a bit of dust from his perfect leather coat.  
  
But he wouldn't hurt her, would he?  
  
Suddenly, she realized he had a hurt look on his face, and she tried to cheer him up as best she could, impulsively, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, when he lips met his cold skin, she could feel a blazing. freezing, electricity race though her lips and throughout her body, nearly causing her to shiver.  
  
After a moment, she reluctantly pulled back, into his soulful eyes.  
  
His aquamarine, Mako pools spun and danced in her eyes, locked in a trance-like stare.  
  
She swallowed very softly, fighting a driving urge to kiss him again, this time on his lips, to entwine her fingers in his long, perfect hair.  
  
His eyes burned with a much similar desire, but in the same aspect, so utterly alien, she knew, all she had to do was reach up once more, touch his cheek, smile, kiss him, it did not matter what she did, all that mattered was that she would be proving to him exactly what she wanted, and yet, a part of her did NOT wish it so dearly....she could see he was fighting so hard....and the outcome of his battle depended solely on her actions....  
  
For a moment, she almost gave into her wild dreams and desires, but thought better of it, knowing that the two of them....could not....do such a thing...  
  
Quickly, she broke eye contact, staring shamefully at the ground, whether she was ashamed of what she did, or what she did NOT do, she was unsure.  
  
" I....should we not be moving?"  
  
"We...." He said suddenly, her actions giving him just the leverage he needed to win his battle, " Must be on our way."  
  
For some odd reason, his apparently callous remark, completely ignoring what had just transpired, stabbed at her a moment, and she could not help a scowl, though it was, thankfully, directed only at the ground.  
  
A moment later, she slapped herself, and stood up straight, forcing her best playful smile, and happily agreed, making her best attempt at a saunter, as she hurried down the path.  
  
Almost in an instant, he caught up to her, his long leg taking him amazingly far with each, relaxed, but decidedly determined, step.  
  
He glanced at her quickly, his mask of cold indifference, once more in place, and said, " We shall silently infiltrate the Shinra base, retrieve Mother, and...." He paused, one of his brilliantly platinum bangs concealing his eyes, then after a moment of uncomfortable silence, he continued, " We shall leave without any further delay, the city of Midgar."  
  
They were leaving Midgar?....but of course. The was the point, wasn't it? Go out and see the world? She wished she could quell the doubt fluttering incessantly in her mind.  
  
" How?" She asked, referring to both the infiltration, and the escape, she had no doubt he was capable of rescuing his mother, once inside...but...  
  
Without warning, Sephiroth grabbed her around her waist, and pulled her close to him.  
  
Shocked, she looked up to him, his eyes were shining mischievously.  
  
Then, without further warning, he leapt into the sky. Nervously, Aeris closed her eyes tightly, as she felt herself being propelled through the air, at breathtaking speeds, and getting jolted violently several times, as Sephiroth 'landed' on parts of the wall, and sprang upwards further.  
  
To her relief, soon the jolts subsided, and she suddenly realized, that Sephiroth was shaking her slightly, curiously, she looked up at him, concern was engraved in his aquamarine eyes, and he asked if she was alright, reluctantly, she nodded.  
  
" You can let go of me now." He said softly, more so than she thought he could, " We can't stand like this forever...."  
  
It was then that she realized how close they were standing, and how firmly he held her, stubbornly, she buried her face in his strong chest, causing him to grunt softly in surprise.  
  
" Aeris." He said firmly after a moment, ".....Would you please let go?"  
  
For a man who wished to have his private space, he geld her crushingly tight against him, and had gently rested his lips in hair affectionately.  
  
After a moment, she sighed, and pulled back; to her relief and disappointment, he made no move to stop her....but then he never did.  
  
F/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/F\/\\/\/\/\7  
  
Hurriedly, Sephiroth walked up to beside her, his cheek still burned where she'd kissed him.  
  
Calmly, he glanced at her, and explained the basic plan, so she wouldn't get caught, and unnecessarily complicate things, but decided it wiser to leave out the part about his puppet following, for the moment at least, she need not know about that.  
  
She nodded softly, a slightly confused, and worried look on her face, and asked how they would go about doing that.  
  
Sephiroth could not help but smirk slightly, before pulling her tightly against himself, and leaping up, step by step, to the top of the plate, where the vile ShinRa HQ was.  
  
Unfortunately, Aeris stayed glued to him, not that it was a necessarily bad thing, either...  
  
Calmly, he shook her, until he got her attention, and informed her it was safe; to his dismay, and secret delight, she only pressed herself harder against him, causing him to grunt in surprised, and guilty, pleasure.  
  
Softly, he closed his eyes a moment, and rested his lips on her sweet smelling hair, breathing in her intoxicating smell, and almost resting, relaxed, in the almost loving embrace.  
  
They might have stood there for hours, if not for the intruding voice of his mother.  
  
" WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!??!! HURRY UP!!!!!!!!"  
  
' I am, Mother, I will be there soon.' He replied, and tried once more, feebly, to convince the unwilling girl to allow him to continue on his mission.  
  
To his utter relief and dismay, she finally obeyed, he barely repressed a shudder as he wondered what he would have done, had she lingered longer.  
  
" Come, we will use the stairs, no need to create a commotion long before necessary." He said briskly, walking up to the, usually unused, side entrance.  
  
He heard Aeris mutter something, but as he advanced heedlessly up the stairs, he could hear her footsteps behind him.  
  
F/\\//\/\/\//\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\/\F\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\//\/\/\7  
  
" So, would you please find, and watch over my daughter?" The woman, Elmyra, asked.  
  
Cloud sighed, taken by Sephiroth??.....How could he refuse this woman, and ever attempt to look Tifa in the eyes again? And yet, the thought of facing off against Sephiroth was a bleak prospect, at best.  
  
" I'll try miss.... but I warn you, it's probably a lost cause, as Sephiroth rarely keeps his prisoners alive long, except in the most extreme circumstances."  
  
The woman got a shocked look on her face, and said, " Oh no!! It's not like that! He seemed to quite fancy her...He kissed her well enough before leaving.....it's just....She likes to find the tip of that sword of his far too often...even within her own bedroom....."  
  
Cloud dropped his mug, shocked.....Sephiroth had.....in......Cloud swallowed, remembering Sephiroth's maniacal, sadistic smirk, and the innocent, beautiful face of that naive flower girl he'd met on the street....the image of the horribly mangled body of Sephiroth's former lover lingered in Clouds memory, and the, now horrifying, similarities between the two women.  
  
" Your saying he 'attacked' her in some way.....in her own room?"  
  
" Oh NO!!" She gasped, realization dawning on her face, and her complexion growing ashen, " Not like THAT! He's just....touchy....and he really dislikes me....Oh please, go make sure she doesn't get her head cut off protecting some annoying beggar.....They headed towards Sector 6!"  
  
Cloud nodded, determinably, he would not let Sephiroth murder another woman so horribly and violently, not so long as he still lived.  
  
" I'll do it, I swear."  
  
  
  
AN: Ok....I split it into two ( technically three) chapters...this one is SO big...and I took so long, sorry for the wait.....what did you think??  
  
BTW This is when I ended January 22, 2004 


	4. Shinra pt 2

Disclaimer: I don't Own this uh....stuff?  
  
AN: part two....Im a loser man...cutting it into two (three) peices......BTW I dont CARE that the  
  
stairs only make it to 59th floor....grrrr grrr..Oh yeah, a preemptove "If you don't have anything  
  
good to say...your freakin' messed up!" To all potential flamers.....lets not necessitate a Hall of  
  
Shame...boys and girls...  
  
Again I plead....HOW DO I GET MY FREAKIN' ITALICS AND BOLD?? WHAT TYPE OF  
  
DOC DO I NEED????????????????????   
  
Aha! After years of research, I have discovered Sephiroth's last name....boy am I dense...  
  
Sephiroth Hojo.....  
  
Right?  
  
Lol  
  
Prof. Hojo...  
  
Dr. Gast = Aeris Gast....  
  
So Prof. Hojo = Sephiroth Hojo?  
  
January 23, 2004  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
_____________  
  
Chapter 3: ShinRa Part 2 of 2  
  
Panting heavily, Aeris tripped over the final step to the 42nd floor. Annoyed, Sephiroth turned,  
  
and scooped her up, before hurrying up the rest of the stairs.  
  
Without really thinking about it, she snuggled in closer to him, enjoying his warmth.  
  
Soon, they reached the 60th floor, and Sephiroth let her to the ground.  
  
She glanced at him, wondering where to go next, when he grabbed her wrist, and quickly led her  
  
into a small, glass, elevator.  
  
" Stay quiet..." He said, and punched a code into a keypad on the wall, when it bleeped loudly, he  
  
seemed offended, and looked as if he were about to stab it, before producing an elaborate card,  
  
and deftly flicking it though the card scanner.  
  
The pad 'beeped' happily, and the elevator began to move upwards at a steady pace.  
  
Aeris was about to ask where exactly they were going, when she thought better of it, remembering  
  
Sephiroth's curt orders, and his quicksilver temper..  
  
In no time at all, they had made it to the 67th floor, and with only a glance back at her, Sephiroth  
  
walked out of the elevator, and melted into the shadows of the room. Silently, Aeris followed, but  
  
she didn't exactly 'melt' into the shadows.... with her hot pink dress and brilliant red vest, she  
  
stuck out like a sore thumb against the dark, metallic wall.  
  
Luckily, Sephiroth had anticipated such an eventuality, and silently draped a black coat around her.  
  
Where in the world had he hidden that spare cloak????  
  
Quickly, she pulled up the hood, and peeked under the edge, just barely enough to see where she  
  
was heading.  
  
Suddenly, Sephiroth leapt agilely to a strange metal cage-like thing.....and yet her eyes were not on  
  
that...instead, her eyes fell on a glass case.  
  
She shivered as memories rushed to the surface at the sight of the glass prison  
  
Aeris shivered, curled in a ball, as she heard the pained screams of her mother, echoing in the  
  
distance, she squeezed her eyes shut in a futile effort to block out the voices of the men observing  
  
her, commenting about 'experiments' and 'next year'  
  
Voices whispered in the corner of her consciousness, skittering on the edge of reality, whispers of  
  
comfort, songs of reassurance.  
  
The Planet, her mother always said, when she could speak to her in the night.....Mother.....her  
  
eyes were always full of compassion and love, and she cried so much....Aeris sobbed miserably as  
  
she heard her mother scream again.  
  
Suddenly, Aeris was jerked back to reality, as a hand was clamped over her mouth, and a blade  
  
pressed to her throat.  
  
F/\/\/\/\/\F/\/\/\//\/\7  
  
Sephiroth sighed as he paused for the umpteenth time, to wait for Aeris as she fell behind again,  
  
this girl was definitely NOT SOLDIER material..  
  
He noticed that this time she'd tripped, and injured her shoulder; feeling a pang of guilt for forcing  
  
a simple slum-girl to endure a marathon of stair-climbing, Sephiroth deftly scooped her up, and  
  
carried her the rest of the way.  
  
To his mild surprise, and guilty pleasure, she seemed to adjust herself so that she was close against  
  
him.  
  
For no reason at all, the action reminded him of Kyoko...he'd carried her, too....  
  
Sephiroth carefully picked his way through the battlefield, dead, and dying men, and even women,  
  
lay everywhere, but they mattered not to him.....there was only one woman he had eyes for...  
  
" Kyoko?!" He cried, looking for her, suddenly, he saw a form crumpled on the ground, blood  
  
pooled around her, and green haired fanned out on the ground  
  
" Nnnooo!" He cried, running up to her, he turned her to face him, her emerald eyes were open  
  
slightly, and she had a small grin on her face.  
  
" You...cared...." She laughed, " I...knew you did...."  
  
" Kyoko..."  
  
She smiled softly, and said, " Don't fear for me....it will take more than a gut-shot to get me...."  
  
Sephiroth carried her carefully through the battlefield, careless of the cries for help from the  
  
others, staring into the emerald eyes of his love, her fingers were still in the lethal claws that she  
  
could shift them to, and her pupils were still slanted, her regeneration may have been keeping her  
  
alive, but it took so much energy that she could not do more than whisper, and smile a little.  
  
" Seph....I have a secret..."  
  
" Another??" He asked lightly, grinning slightly.  
  
" Yeah....." She breathed, closing her eyes a moment, then saying, " I love you Sephiroth...."  
  
" Sephiroth...." A voice breathed.  
  
" Sephiroth.....Sephiroth..."  
  
He looked around, confused, but there was no one around, there was only him, and Aeris,  
  
standing at the top of the stairs.  
  
He looked down at a smiling Aeris, and reluctantly set her down.  
  
Carefully, he scanned the area, mot of the guards were patrolling some distance away, and the path  
  
to the elevator seemed clear.  
  
He glanced once more down at Aeris' questioning eyes, and grabbed her wrist, hurrying into the  
  
elevator, before repeating what he had said before.  
  
Absently, he typed in the authorization code for 'floor 67', unfortunately, he'd forgotten about the  
  
new security precaution: Keycards.  
  
The annoying thing made an angry noise, and it took almost a physical effort not to reward it with  
  
a violent stab at that point.  
  
Carefully, he retrieved the keycard from his shirt pocket, and swiped it through the slot.  
  
This time the pad seemed happy, and the elevator started upwards.  
  
He glanced at Aeris looking around in awe, through the glass elevator that showed the entirety of  
  
Midgar.....it was always amazing the first time you saw it.....  
  
Kyoko's eyes widened as she leaned eagerly against the glass, staring down at the Midgar cities,  
  
Forean in particular, was easily seen from this height.  
  
" Kyoko, you'll break the glass and fall if you keep that up!" Sephiroth laughed, as he took her  
  
hands in his, and guided her away from the brittle glass.  
  
" And you would catch me." Kyoko smiled, looking up at him, with as much admiration and  
  
interest as she had the city.  
  
" You are so stubborn, Kyoko..." He laughed, kissing her.  
  
Stubborn.  
  
Stubborn....  
  
He glared at her, as she stood stock-still, stubbornly unafraid, even at the point of Masamune, and  
  
under the crazed fire of his eyes.  
  
" Sephi-" She started, but cut it off in a choke, as he thrust Masamune at her further, so that it cut  
  
her throat fairly deeply, but not yet enough to kill her...not yet.  
  
" Shut-up!" He spat, " I have no time for your filthy lies!!! Your stubborn ignorance!! Did you  
  
really think you would get away with it??!!"  
  
" With what...?" She asked, her voice quivering, eyes tearing.  
  
Something in the pit of his stomach made him want to back off, to reason it out...this beautiful  
  
angel COULDN'T have....  
  
' Beauty cuts deeper than swords, Perfection deceives darker than serpents' his mother whispered  
  
lovingly to him, an eager tone in her voice.  
  
He curled his lip into a snarl, his hatred re-kindled, " I am sick of your trash! Your lies!! You will  
  
speak no more!!"  
  
" Sephiroth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Sephiroth gave a start, as his mind returned to the present.....but there was no one, Aeris looked  
  
over at the door, as it dinged, just arriving.  
  
'Mother?' He tried experimentally.  
  
' What?' She replied, irritated, ' I did not call you, what is wrong?? Are you here yet??"  
  
Sephiroth found himself grimacing without thinking, she always wanted to know that, didn't she?  
  
' yes, Mother.......I just wanted you to know.'  
  
' Good boy...'  
  
He sighed softly, he had no idea why his temper was so short with his mother lately.....or why he  
  
was dwelling on the past so much lately....  
  
Suddenly, he realized that Aeris could not hide in the shadows that he had been so effortlessly  
  
slipping through, not with that absurd outfit.  
  
Quickly, Sephiroth remembered the extra cloak he had brought with him, for no real reason  
  
really...  
  
Swiftly, he pulled it out from under his leather vest, and draped it over her.  
  
Soon, Sephiroth saw what he had come for, the pod where they held part of his mother.  
  
Silently, he slipped over to the container, and drew Masamune, when he was assaulted by a  
  
memory, almost violently.  
  
" My son!! Sephiroth!!" Screamed a woman in white, stretching for him, while Turks dragged her  
  
away.  
  
Young Sephiroth's eyes widened, and he tugged on his father's coat, looking up eagerly, and  
  
asking, " Father, father!! Who is that?? Is that my mother?!!"  
  
The raven-haired man glared at him, and slapped the back of Sephiroth's head, " NO!! She is just  
  
some idiot!!! Never speak of her again!!"  
  
Sephiroth slammed the professor against the wall, holding his shoulders violently tight,  
  
" Who is my mother!! Tell me!! TELL ME!!!"  
  
" W-w-wh-why Sephiroth.....M-m-m-y son...." He started  
  
" Tell me or I'll kill you!!!"  
  
The man swallowed, his greasy hair sticking to his forehead, " J–Jenova....Jenova Is your  
  
mother!!"  
  
" Who?? Is it that woman in white that you refused to tell me about?!!"  
  
The man's eyes widened. " No! No! No!....Sh-she was a-an...experiment...th-thats all!!....Yo-your  
  
mother..died...died when you-you were born.."  
  
" Who is Jenova???" Sephiroth demanded.  
  
" Jenova is Jenova!!...Hahahaha Jenova.... hahahah"  
  
" Jenova.....Crisis from the sky...." Came a whisper,  
  
" What??" He said, the memory of holding his father against the wall, Masamune pointed at his  
  
neck, vanished from him.  
  
" Jen...ov....a...."  
  
Suddenly, he heard Aeris bite off a scream, and an all-too-familiar voice greeted Sephiroth's ears.  
  
" Ah...Sephiroth....You have returned to us." The insane scientist, Hojo cackled, " Please, please  
  
back away from our dear, dear Jenova...."  
  
Sephiroth spun around to see a SOLDIER holding a blade to Aeris' throat, and clasping a hand  
  
over her mouth.  
  
" Please....I wouldn't want to hurt her...She IS the last remaining Ancient.... Cetra.... Whatever...  
  
well....besides you, of course."  
  
" What do you want?" Sephiroth asked, narrowing his eyes.  
  
" Oh, it's really quite simple, there are two choices: Leave here, with out trouble, and without the  
  
ladies, OR rejoin ShinRa, and 'help' me with my research....There is no need to point out that the  
  
girl is dead, if you try anything funny....of course."  
  
" How?" Sephiroth asked, gritting his teeth, and tightening his grip, oh, he knew Aeris was dead if  
  
he went for her.....he could kill the SOLDIER, and probably Hojo, too...but the snipers...and is he  
  
went for his mother.....quickly he discarded that idea.....he refused to sacrifice Aeris so  
  
meaninglessly.  
  
His gaze flickered to the soldier's trembling hand, pressing the blade enough to cause a crimson  
  
trail to slowly run down her neck, the sight infuriated him almost enough to make him see red...he  
  
couldn't let them hurt her...HE-WOULD-NOT-LET-IT!!!!  
  
" Oh....you know she's so difficult..so hard headed...it will take a few generations.....and I sure  
  
you can–" Hojo started, and an image floated to the top if his mind, Aeris beneath him....with  
  
tears....angrily, Sephiroth cut him off,  
  
" NO!" He snapped vehemently, unable to endure the thought of such an outrage, her laughs and  
  
smiles turning to screams and tears....  
  
He saw a terrified tear trickle down Aeris' face, and almost reached out for her, to comfort her,  
  
but instantly thought better of it.  
  
" Oh fine...." Hojo cackled, " I felt that, with my intellect, her offspring would be—"  
  
" You touch her and I'll kill you!!" Sephiroth snapped, pointing Masamune threateningly at him,  
  
then almost winced when he saw the nervous soldier dig the blade deeper into Aeris' flesh, causing  
  
a muffled yelp, and an onrush of tears.  
  
His outrage at it was so much, that he shook with barely contained fury, threatening to explode,  
  
and what ever to slime had been wanting to say, was swallowed in his throat, as he took a step  
  
backwards at what he saw in Sephiroth's eyes : Murder, brutal and unforgiving.  
  
Suddenly, Hojo remembered his situation, and resumed his cocky posture, though not moving  
  
back forward.  
  
" Well, Sephiroth, you really give me no choice..."  
  
He stroked Aeris' cheek slightly, causing her to flinch away in terror....resulting in red to creep into  
  
the corners of Sephiroth's vision  
  
" Get away from her!" He snapped, but Hojo only laughed, and, as if to make a point, he jerked  
  
Aeris' face up to his, and forced her to kiss him, though she furiously pounded on him with her  
  
fists.  
  
Sephiroth could hear the metal of Masamune's hilt cracking slightly under his grip.  
  
' Son....quickly! Now is our chance!! Free me!'  
  
' No mother! It would be to risky!' he replied.  
  
' Son!! DO IT!!! Forget your silly infatuation a moment!!! FREE ME!!!"  
  
" NO!!!!!" He spat so vehemently that he said it aloud.  
  
" Eh?" Hojo said mockingly, " Is it MY fault that you do not wish to partake in the pleasures of  
  
this....desert flower?"  
  
" SHUT-UP.....that is your final warning...or so help me...." Sephiroth growled, a lethally  
  
dangerous tone in his voice.  
  
" Take-your-pick....Jenova...your mother, or the lovely flowergirl..." Hojo pressed, grinning evilly  
  
gesturing first to his mother, then to Aeris..the woman who....he could-not lose, " Or...of  
  
course....you can have them both...Sephiroth."  
  
One final time, he glanced at Aeris' tear-stained face, and his soul tangled itself in knots around  
  
her glittering eyes.....He could never leave her.....not now, not ever.......  
  
" Fine...." Sephiroth whispered, not taking his eyes off of Aeris, " I'll be your guinea pig....I'll  
  
leave my mother...my pride...and I'll.....give you the children you desire......just....just let her go..."  
  
Aeris eyes widened, and she gave a muffled gasp, and Hojo gave a satisfied smirk.  
  
Sephiroth felt weak, so thin and frail, he knew his mother had cut herself from him, Aeris....His  
  
joints felt like liquid, he closed his eyes and took a breath, trying to steady himself, telling himself  
  
he'd free her....  
  
' Some one help me...' He thought desperately to himself...where was his mother??  
  
" Son..." A voice whispered, was it his mother?? No....this felt tranquil, and beautiful, " Son..."  
  
His eyes flew open, and the presence faded.  
  
" .....we simply need to be sure she doesn't run....more proper accommodations will be made  
  
shortly...." Hojo was saying confidently.  
  
" What are you.." Sephiroth started, his spirit returned, his soul refilled, and his voice suspicious,  
  
and curt.  
  
Hojo cut him off, though by pointing at a glass dome-prison beside Sephiroth, causing  
  
Sephiroth's, newly revitalized, anger to flare up once more, but this time Sephiroth kept it in  
  
check.  
  
" Soldier....do it carefully.." Hojo said, and the soldier started making his way over to the dome;  
  
when Aeris started panicking, kicking, screaming, and slapping at her captor....He'd obviously  
  
done this before.  
  
Suddenly, to Sephiroth's shock, Hojo slapped her soundly, leaving an angry red mark, and causing  
  
another onrush of tears, to which Hojo scorned, and was about to strike her again for.  
  
Unable to endure it, Sephiroth screamed, louder than he remembered ever doing before, " DON'T  
  
YOU DARE TOUCH HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Hojo looked over at him, surprised, and said, " Oh, so...she is your girl after all....I thought you  
  
were a bachelor, and to think you would pick a girl like this to be your B-"  
  
" Shut up!"  
  
Trembling, the soldier made his way to the door next to Sephiroth.  
  
Aeris stared at him with pleading, emerald eyes, still hyperventilating, her eyes still leaking tears  
  
from the stinging blow.  
  
Sephiroth shook his head ever so slightly, smiling at her sadly, to help calm her, as the soldier  
  
made his way over to him.  
  
As the man pressed th pad to open the door with on hand, he looked away from Sephiroth, and  
  
left Aeris tantalizingly close to him.  
  
Sephiroth caught the weakness. Hojo cried out in alarm an instant before Masamune flashed, and  
  
the soldiers head was rolling on the floor.  
  
Just as instantaneously, Sephiroth's arms were around Aeris, and he spun around behind the safety  
  
of his mother's 'Cage', and cut a hole in it wide enough for his mother to escape.  
  
He turned his eyes to Aeris' adoration-filled ones.  
  
" You saved me..." She breathed, tears in her eyes. He smiled softly, and wiped her tears away  
  
with his thumb, then leaned into her face, kissing her softly, the kiss quickly turned passionate, as  
  
Aeris tugged him towards her, pushing him against the metal ball.  
  
Blindly, he kissed her, and pressed his hands against her abdomen.....he felt a strange, sticky,  
  
wetness, and Aeris jerked suddenly in pain.  
  
He jerked away from her lips, and looked horrified, at her stomach, and the growing red stain in  
  
her dress....how could he have been so careless???....If she died.....  
  
" Hojo!!!" He roared, turning around the container, leaving Aeris in safety, and charging at the  
  
gunners, Masamune in hand, the Mako in his body blazing with his anger.  
  
F/\/\/\/\/\/\/\F\/\/\/\//\/\/\7  
  
As Aeris panicked, trying to turn to see who it was, the blade bit deeply into her neck, forcing her  
  
to remain still.  
  
Sephiroth whipped back around in fury, as the attacker, Hojo, said something.  
  
His eyes flicked over her with concern a moment, and Hojo laughed, threatening to kill her....but  
  
did Sephiroth really care, when push came to shove? Weighed against his mother??  
  
Sephiroth coldly hissed something at him, never taking his eyes off her, or, more properly, her  
  
throat, now oozing blood.  
  
Hojo said in a cool, composed, voice, that Sephiroth need only to join, and she would be free.  
  
Sephiroth cut him off suddenly, though, as if he had said something personally assaulting, she saw  
  
him tighten his grip on Masamune as he spoke. Suddenly, she realized what he was implying, her  
  
mind replayed her prior captivity, her Mother's tortured screams....his lecherous smirks...Aeris  
  
couldn't help a tear at enduring such a horror once more, whether it by Sephiroth's, or Hojo's  
  
hand.  
  
To her mortification, Hojo started to imply much worse, and she had to force the images  
  
of....him...away from her mind with a shudder, fortunately, Sephiroth cut him off sharply, angrier  
  
than before.  
  
Suddenly, Sephiroth had Masamune extended threateningly in front of him, and her panicked  
  
guard dug the blade deeper into her soft flesh, drawing a cry of pain from her.  
  
The exchange did not go unnoticed by Sephiroth, who got a deadly look on his face, the glares he  
  
gave to her mother seemed pleasant smiles in comparison, his look was one of such unbridled fury  
  
and hatred that it hurt just to look at it. His entire focus was on Hojo and she was amazed he  
  
wasn't on the floor, writhing in pain.  
  
To Aeris' surprise, she noticed he was visibly shaking with fury...did he truly care for her?  
  
Still Hojo continued, cocky as ever, and then touched her cheek with his slimy, filthy, unclean,  
  
disgusting hand, causing her to involuntarily flinch away, fearful of even this monster's touch  
  
This only served to goad Sephiroth deeper into his rage, his eyes partially glazing with fury.  
  
" Get away from her!!" He hissed, but Hojo ignored him, and, to Aeris' horror, and disgust, he  
  
grabbed her face and gave her a violent kiss, heedless to her protests  
  
Suddenly Sephiroth snapped, " NO!"  
  
Hojo backed up, satisfied with his work, and gave him an ultimatum.  
  
Now was the choice...her, or his mother....  
  
Once more Sephiroth looked at her, his eyes devoid of the raging fury that once inhabited them,  
  
replaced with a deep sadness, hopelessness.....care......so many emotions....he sighed, when he did,  
  
it was if all that had kept so rigid in all of these years drained out of him, leaving him limply  
  
standing, as if a breath would blow him away.  
  
Then, he whispered it.....that he would give everything....everything he had come for...everything  
  
he had...even his pride...for her!!  
  
To her guilt, she absolutely loved him for it.  
  
As Hojo droned on, she saw Sephiroth try to steady himself, as if he were a hollow reed in a river,  
  
drained of his power and presence, tears pricked the corners of his eyes.  
  
' Oh planet....comfort him...give him strength...I love him...' she prayed silently.  
  
Suddenly, his eyes flew open, and he had a surprised look on his face.  
  
She noted happily that his posture stated that he was back..  
  
' Thank you planet...'  
  
Suddenly, Hojo barked for her to be taken to the glass prison, her eyes widened as memories  
  
returned to her, horrible memories...  
  
Her mother screamed as she tried to drag Aeris away from it, but the SOLDIERs were  
  
unforgiving, and soon, her mother was encircled in a mob, beaten savagely, screaming in pain and  
  
anguish....Mother...no...MOTHER!!!  
  
Suddenly, she was snapped back to the present, and she screamed, struggling any way to  
  
escape....pleading for mercy.  
  
" NO!!!! PLEASE NO!!!! NOT THERE!!!" She screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks, but no  
  
one could understand her muffled cries, as she kicked, slapped, and bit, in desperation.  
  
Suddenly, a stinging blow landed across her cheek, causing her to see stars a moment, then scream  
  
out in pain.  
  
Hojo was about to strike her again, when Sephiroth screamed at the top of his lungs for Hojo to  
  
stop it now.  
  
Hojo smirked, and commented on the two of them being together...as if Aeris were  
  
Sephiroth's......stupid, perverted, old man.....fortunately, Sephiroth cut him off, again ordering  
  
him to shut up, or else.  
  
From a look by Sephiroth, a weak smile, and a shake of his head, Aeris calmed herself, and  
  
allowed herself to be taken to the prison, never once letting his beautiful, regret-filled, eyesleave  
  
hers.  
  
Suddenly, there was a blur, everything seemed to happen at once...first the soldier's head lay on  
  
the floor, next to his body, then Sephiroth's arms were around her, and pain...so much pain....but  
  
she did not cry out, for fear of him letting go.  
  
Soon, she was sitting on his lap, Behind his mother's container, which had a hole cut into  
  
it....staring into his beautiful eyes.  
  
" You...saved me.." She whispered, on the verge of tears.  
  
Sephiroth smiled at her, and wiped the remnants of her tears away, before kissing her softly,  
  
before she could even think about it, she was kissing him passionately, tugging his vest close to  
  
her, then pain flooded her again...her stomach...  
  
She looked down in surprise at her abdomen, she'd been shot...  
  
Sephiroth stared at her wide-eyed a moment, then worry clouded his features a moment....before it  
  
melted into fury; then he was gone, screaming Hojo's name.  
  
As she peeked around the corner, she saw Sephiroth spinning Masamune everywhere, in a blur of  
  
blades, blood, guts, corpses, and limbs flying everywhere, as Sephiroth went on a rampage, killing  
  
everything in the room.  
  
Soon, they were gone, and he turned towards her, but he was so dark....everything was....so...  
  
" Aeris?" He said, echoing quietly, reaching for her, " AERIS!!!"  
  
Odd...so quiet?  
  
" AAAEEERRRRIIISSS!!!!!!" Some one whispered, as the darkness consumed her.  
  
F/\/\/\\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\//\/\/\/\\/F\/\/\/\/\//\//\/\7  
  
" Teef!! TEEF!! Where th' heck are ya?!" Barret hollered as he looked around 'Wall Market'  
  
" Who're ya'll looken fer?" An old man drawled.  
  
" She's uh.....tall....got brown hair...she's um.." Barret started, hesitantly.  
  
" Oh....yerall looken fer that there heifer, who'ah went down to'ah that thar' thingamaggiger called  
  
'honeybee inn' ner sum'm like that?" The man drawled, pointing down towards some neon lights.  
  
" Uh...Right..." Barret said, assuming he was pointing towards Tifa, and walking that way.  
  
" That thar'n youn' whippershapper......dey 'ant talk kerrect no more.....them thar shools not be  
  
teachen right no more...." The man mumbled.  
  
When Barret got to the lively inn, he walked up to the door man, and said, as the man blocked his  
  
way.  
  
" You be gettin' outta my way 'fore sumthin' bad be happen' to ya!"  
  
" I'm sorry old bean, but no pass...no entry."  
  
" DIS be my pass!!" Barret yelled, hefting his gun arm.  
  
The man eyed it levelly a moment, before stepping aside, and saying, " Welcome to Honeybee Inn,  
  
good sir, enjoy your stay...why I say, old chap, you will most certainly be popular among the  
  
ladies!"  
  
" De on'y one I wan' be pop'lar wit' is Teef.." He mumbled, walking in.  
  
The Inn was crowded with the biggest 'woofers' you could see, at least, as far as Barret was  
  
concerned, anyways.  
  
" Now....Where'd dat gir; go a hidin' herself now?"  
  
" Barret?????! What are you doing here??" Came a voice from the side of him.  
  
Barret turned to see what had to be heaven's finest angel, sent down to earth, in a tight blue dress.  
  
She smiled at him, and put her hands on her luscious hips.  
  
" Teef! Whatcha' think you dooin' in a place like dis??"  
  
" What are YOU doing here??"  
  
" I's lookin' fer YOUR sorry–" He started  
  
" I'm sorry..." She cut in, blushing.  
  
" Aww....shoot, I's okay man."  
  
F/\/\/\/\//\/\/\/\/\F\/\/\/\/\\/\/7  
  
Cloud looked around at a loss of where to go, the back of 'wall market' was quiet, but there  
  
wasn't any stairs?? All he knew was that he had to go up...how?   
  
Suddenly, pain flooded his mind, and a voice whispered urgently, ' The wall...climb the wall...'  
  
" The...wall?" Cloud mumbled, looking around, suddenly, he saw a sheer wall, with a single pipe  
  
running up it.....his eyes followed it up to the dizzying heights of the plate....strange.  
  
Without further question, he began his climb.  
  
F/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/F/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/7  
  
" Jess! We gotta move!!" A tall, well muscled, man yelled, shrugging on his army vest, and  
  
pushing his wide companion out the door.  
  
" I know!!" The red-haired woman yelled, whispering something in the ear or their leader's young,  
  
brunette, daughter, before hurrying after.  
  
" Are they really gonna try an' take out the pillar, Biggs??" Wedge asked, panicked.  
  
" I...I don't know....but I wouldn't put it past them..."  
  
" In any case, we can't risk it!!" Jessie said, finishing his sentence.  
  
" Let's move!!" Biggs said, speeding up to make it to the pillar, then scaling the steep stairs, three  
  
at a time.  
  
" We...I...can't...keep...up...!" Wedge wheezed from behind him.  
  
" Keep it together! You can do it!! WE can do it!" Jessie encouraged.  
  
Biggs looked up at the ominous helicopter flying above grimly, and wondered if that were truly so.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
AN: there, 'nother chapter done! Was it action filled? Suspenseful? Mysterious?? I hope!  
  
So....who knows what chapter 5(actually four) will be up....  
  
In the mean time...this is what I've been working on!  
  
Recruiter: a Anime x-over based on a deep 'mind game' me an' Sparty play in our off  
  
time....what's a mind game? Sort of a D&D with out dice...  
  
Hero Of Time ( not yet published): A novelization of Zelda OOT....customized to fit the story me  
  
an' Sparty made for it...  
  
Last Heroes(NYP): Novelization of Gauntlet: Dark Legacy...only with the story I made...  
  
Queen of Sayians(NYP): Lemone's side of the story....(DBZ)  
  
Alone: A tragic story of rejection and longing.......Hack style  
  
Second Chance: a Touching story of loss, and a second chance for love....Hack style  
  
Warrior's Love (NYP): A gripping tale of destiny..and Sayian Mating season...0.o  
  
Unexpected Consequence(NYP): A tale of crossing lines, and of consequences....bet you didn't  
  
know that..lol DBZ style  
  
Remembering(NYP): A poem about Ifalna's final thoughts  
  
As I watch you(NYP): Tifa's anguish  
  
You see....I am a busy girl....  
  
I'll try to update soon though...  
  
~Yusagi 


	5. The Kalm after the storm, pt 1

Disclaimer: And here we are.....We're the princes of the universe.....ok...not...just like I don't own this. 

AN:

NOTE: My fake update fixed a key problem in the 'catfight' scene....suffice it to say, the original published one cut out all of Aeris thoughts at the end...

Ahh....it's about time, huh? Thanks to that review ( princeess of hell?) Who showed me the way...I guess this took so long because I was scared of putting this 'soft' chapter up... lol, cringing as I wrote all the 'mushy' stuff in this chapter ^.^;;;.... I hope this was done well....But anyway, after finding some new FF Advent Children stuff... and being absolutely giddy with anticipation...I decided to write this.....0.o whatever...once again, a chapter split in two... 

February 25, 2004...then inexplicably paused until March 7, 2004.....T_T 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

** Chapter 4:_ The Kalm after the storm._** _part 1_

" _ AERIS!!!!!!_" Sephiroth screamed, running up to her unconscious form, instantly pulling out his mastered 'Restore' Materia, and chanting ' Cure 3' quickly, careful not to slur the words.

As soon as his words were finished, a gust picked up, and multi-colored sparkles spun in a dance around her form, sealing her wounds, and expelling the offending bullet from her waist.

Aeris groaned softly, and her eyes fluttered open slowly, her beautiful emerald orbs revealed.....as she lay in his arms she reminded him so much of an angel.... 

A picture of his once beloved Kyoko flashed in his mind, battle-damaged, and nearly unconscious, yet she had still remained beautiful....

But her beauty was external...

He touched her cheek softly, her smooth skin was warm even through his leather gloves.

" Don't...don't you dare try to die on me again..." He whispered quietly, struggling not to let his emotions show through in his voice, battling to hold back the flood of the strange new emotions he felt surging through him, at the thought of almost losing her.....but he couldn't understand why!

Aeris smiled softly, and touched his cheek with a soft hand, but said nothing.

Suddenly, he didn't care where they might be, or how close his infernal puppet may be trailing them.....he couldn't risk losing her again....not after this....he only wished he knew what to do, or how to say it.....he'd never felt this awkward around Kyoko!

Aeris seemed to read his indecision and confusion, and was about to say something, but he cut her off by lowering his face to hers, in a passionate kiss.

It was only an instant before they broke the kiss, both knowing they had to move, but when he pulled away, it felt like he had ran around the world without a break, his pulse was racing, and he felt short of breath....what was coming over him??

" We...uh..." He started, trying to force himself to form words, so unwilling to come to him.

" Uh-huh...." She answered quietly, nodding.

Numbly, he led her quietly out of ShinRa, forgetting his original goal to kill that fat president. Soon, they made it to the edge of Midgar, and he paused, glancing uncertainly at Aeris, " You realize there will be no going back at this point.....are you sure?" He said, cringing inside at the thought of her deciding _not_ to continue her travels with him.

" Of course I'm sure!" She laughed lightly, and Sephiroth released a breath he had not realized he'd been holding, smiling softly.

" Then take my hand."

F/\/\/\///\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/F\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/7

Instantly after she was enveloped in darkness, reality rushed back to her, in the form of a warm, soothing, breeze.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, and saw Sephiroth's large, aquamarine globes staring back at her, etched with concern.

Numbly, she realized he was holding her protectively.....what happened? It was only a blur in her memory...cold emptiness...

Sephiroth seemed to be trying to swallow a lump in his throat...and....could those possibly be tears forming in the corners of his eyes??

" Don't...you dare die...." He whispered, his voice crackling with emotions she had once thought devoid of his being.

She felt a pang of guilt...no...more than that...much more...she hated the fact that she'd caused him so much pain....she reached up and touched his cool, smooth, cheek....it was beautiful....it was absolutely perfect....his eyes widened slightly at her touch, still shimmering with fiercely suppressed tears.

She realized he was staring at her intensely, as if he'd never seen her before, or as if he'd forgotten where they were...his eyes belied a deeper war, inside of him.....

" Seph-" She started, worried, but he cut her off, by pressing his soft, cold, lips against hers.

When his lips touched hers, it was like an electric jolt shot through her, and she snaked her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss, entangling her fingers in his long, silky hair.

If he had lengthened the kiss much longer, she was afraid of what she might have done, at that point, but he did not, to her relief, and stinging regret, he pulled away almost immediately.

His face was flushed a wonderfully bright pink, and he took quick, gasping breaths, as he stared deeply into her eyes, into her very soul.

He swallowed, and started to implicate that they should leave, but paused, as is fighting yet another battle within himself.

Aeris smiled knowingly...the time was not right for this.....she nodded her acceptance, it seemed to snap him out of his trance, and he led her, carefully, out of ShinRa.

Soon, Aeris found herself staring down at the barren wasteland that lay just outside of Midgar, some 80 feet down.

Sephiroth looked back at her uneasily, asking her if she were truly prepared to leave her home....most likely for good.

The idea of never seeing her mother again gripped her tightly like a frozen bond, but one glance into the fiery, molten eyes of her companion, melted her fear.

Quickly she nodded, smiling, and he seemed to visibly relax.

" Then take my hand." He said, outstretching his hand towards her.

She looked at it a moment, before taking his hand finally, and being lifted into the air.

Gasping, she looked around in shock, and realized they were ten feet above the street, and nearly 100' above the ground, instinctively, she latched hold of his arm, and pulled herself closer, feeling safer when he wrapped his other arm around her waist, even despite the wind that whipped her hair, once he bagan to move.

F\/\/\/\/\//\/\/\/\F\/\/\//\/\//\/\\/\/\/7

" You was goin' _where_?!!" Barret exclaimed in surprise.

" I said I was going to Don Corneo's Mansion....he is in with the ShinRa, and I wanna know what he knows." Tifa replied calmly.

" Ya gotta be _kidding_ me!" Barret insisted, " Dere's _no way_ I'm lettin' ya do dat!"

" He has valuable information, Barret, it's the only way." Tifa said, " There's no way I'm going to let you stop me."

" But...but, don't ya know wha' he's gonna _do_ to ya??"

" I have everything under control/"

" Ya don' 'ave _anything_ under control if ya sayin' _dat_!!"

" Obviously you're not thinking rationally." Tifa said, starting to walk away, but Barret jumped up and grabbed her arm with his good hand.

" Don' make me do nuthin'....I don' wanna' havta' hurt ya...but if it means keepin' ya away from dat animal...."

Tifa narrowed her eyes, and was about to say something, when suddenly, the shockwaves of a huge explosion sent them flying to the floor.

F/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/F/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\7

Finally, Cloud made it to the top of the plate, and after a half-hour of climbing, he needed a breather....as he leaned on his knees, taking deep, measured breaths—that was the key! Deep breaths....His eyes scanned the empty platform, searching for evidence of Sephiroth and Aeris, suddenly, he saw a scrap of pink cloth, caught on a tree, curious, he grabbed it.

To his dismay, it was the exact fabric that flower girl....Aeris? Had worn when he'd met her.

So....she had been here....but the question remained....where did she go, and who was with her?

He noticed obvious tracks of hurried footsteps going up a dirt hill, one set of them had a distinctly feminine shape to them.

Quickly, he followed them to it's peak, overlooking the entirety of Midgar, suddenly, there was an explosion that nearly sent him tumbling off to his doom.

F/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\//\/\/\/\/\F/\/\/\/\\\/\/\/\/\/7

"_JESS!!!_" Biggs screamed, as his beloved went flying down several steps, from the force of assaulting bullets, only his lightning-fast reflexes allowed him to catch her before she fell to her doom; ruefully, he glanced at Wedge's unmoving form on the ground, nearly a mile below.

" Jess, I'm not gonna let you fall.." He whispered.

" N-no...let me go...I'm done for...you...you have to save the people!!" She cried, clutching her blood-soaked abdomen, " I love you, Biggs..."

" Jess..._NO!!!_" Biggs cried, as her slim fingers slipped through his sweaty hands, desperately, he tried to reach for her again, but she was already out of reach, her brown eyes looking silently up at him, tears flowing slowly down her dirt-streaked face, her auburn hair fanning out around her shoulders, released from the captivity of their bun.

" _ NO!!!! JESSSS-IEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_" He screamed as she fell, tears blinding him to the horrible sight of her landing.

Spinning 'round, he glared at the red-haired turk, Reno, with hate-filled eyes.

The man ignored him, as he input a code into the bomb rigged on the pillar.

" _ YOU-MURDERED-JESSIIEEE!!!!!!!!_" He screamed, pulling out his last pistol, and emptying it, all of it, into the red-headed turk.

The man stumbled backwards, a shocked look registered on his face, his blue eyes partially glazed with death, and his mouth filled with blood. The man touched a bullet hole, and stared at the blood on his finger in dumb shock, he looked at Biggs, and was about to speak, when he slumped down on the railing.

Biggs spared a look of disgust at Reno, then ran to the panel, the timer was at 5 seconds, the man said if he pressed the wrong button, it would blow anyways...and Jess had been the bomb expert...9 buttons...one salvation.

His mind recalled Jessie's fall, her being shot....their first kiss...her smile when they first met....in all these years...he'd never said he'd loved her....he was such a fool....he would tell her...when he met her today....no button mattered to him...he would win anyway....but Jess would want him to try.....he had to....for her.....closing his eyes, he swallowed a lump in his throat, and pressed the middle button.....the display made a taunting beep, and turned red. He heard the hoarse laughter of the Turk behind him....he had failed...

" Jess..." He whispered opening his arms wide for sweet oblivion, " I love you...."

And then, fire took him.

F\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\\/\/\/\/\/\F/\/\/\\/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\7

Aeris carefully grabbed his hand, and took a breath.

Sephiroth smiled slightly at her touch, then used his in-human powers to levitate into the air, taking Aeris with him.

She 'yiped' and looked around, surprised, shivering, she wrapped her arm around his shoulders, and pulled herself closer to him, he did not protest, and was pleased when she seemed content for him to protectively wrap his free arm around her waist.

" Seph-" She began, when an explosion sent shockwaves so powerful through the air, that it nearly caused him to lose his, perfect, balance.

She whipped her head around to see where the sound had come from, but Sephiroth had already located it.

That madman....he truly _had_ knocked that sector down onto the slums....unbelievable.

He heard Aeris gasp, and looked down to see her crying.

" Aeris, what's wrong?" He asked, stroking her cheek.

" All those people...they're all....dead...." She sobbed, " They didn't do anything wrong..."

Sephiroth couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her comment, but knew far batter than to point out that they were likely a far-cry from innocent, instead, he attempted to comfort her the only way he could imagine.

" Aeris...they....are with the planet now....it's a much better place than where they were..." He whispered soothingly, " When they die, their life-force returns to the lifestream, feeding the planet, you see? A favor both to the planet, and them."

Aeris made a sound, and looked up at him with...was it anger? And said, " Is that what you tell yourself when you wake up in the middle of the night, being assaulted by the horrified faces of the innocent people you've murdered?!"

So shocked was he by her statement, that he dropped her, how could she _say_ something like that?

Her terrified screams snapped him out of his thoughts, and he looked down to see his angel falling, clawing frantically at the air, images and memories rose up of Kyoko's screams, of crimson blood...everywhere....of holding Aeris' lifeless, cold body....panicked, he snapped the memories from his mind, swooped down at break-neck speeds to catch her, apologizing profusely, and trying to still the racing of his heart.

She seemed to forgive him, and she smiled.....her smile could stop a raging bull in it's tracks.....

" I apologize, too....that was highly uncalled for..." She replied, her wonderful smile not slipping an inch.

Carefully, he set her down not far from Midgar, choosing not to gamble hr life further.

" Let us move, I hope to make it to the Mythril Mines today or tomorrow."

Nodding, Aeris followed obediently.

F/\/\\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/F/\/\/\/\/\/\/7

As Aeris rested her head against Sephiroth's chest, she glanced up into his beautiful eyes a moment, and began to say something, when an explosion from Midgar sent shockwaves through the air at the couple; causing Sephiroth to stumble mid-air, and almost lose his balance.

Shocked, she whipped her head 'round to view the carnage of a falling sector plate, quickly, she noted that it was 'Sector 7'

Wasn't that where that 'AVALANCHE' terrorist base was rumored to be??......Did they escape? Would that cute blonde mercenary survive?.....Was it all okay??

As the sounds of wailing women and weeping babes reached her ears, she realized the tragedy that had unfolded before her.... All those innocent lives lost....women...children....infants....it was so....so terrible!!

She could not help the flood of tears that followed those thoughts, but still, Sephiroth seemed worried she'd been injured....she tried to make him understand the pain she felt was for the people, and the planet....but all he said was that ShinRa had done them, and the planet, a favor....a favor!

She could feel the planet's grieving for it's 'adopted' children, and the mother's in the neighboring sectors, who'd left their children in sector 7...innocent babes...they never even had a chance to _be_ whether it good or bad.....how could this...this _carnage_ have been good?!!

Sobbing, she lashed out at Sephiroth, knowing that he probably used to tell himself the same thing, every time he would wake up with the memory of a weeping mother, or a newly orphened child...whom he would probably 'remedy' of all it's problems soon after discovering it.....when he still had a heart......How could she so freely embrace a murderer? A cold hearted killer, who took glee in others suffering??

She knew how wrong and hurtful her words were the instant she spoke them....he was different....and she.....she...

She had no time to think, or apologize, for when she spoke her thoughts, it shocked and hurt him so much that he stiffened, and let his mouth hang agape, both offended and stunned......but he was smaller now....farther away....suddenly she realized she was falling...faster and faster...

Panic welled up inside of her, and she screamed out for Sephiroth, he seemed to snap out of his trance, and a horrified look materialized on his face when he saw her, panic and pain clearly registered in his eyes....even at this distance. An instant later, something caught her.

Surprised, she looked over and saw Sephiroth's face, etched heavily with concern, how had he?....

" I'm so sorry, please forgive me, I'm an idiot...I didn't..." He pleaded.

" Shhh...It's okay, I forgive you...I'm sorry too...I didn't mean what I said..." She interrupted quickly, to spare him any further embarrassment.

He seemed relieved, and he flew swiftly towards the ground, setting her down on the fresh grass.

" Let's go." he said, walking south.

Shrugging her shoulders, she followed.

Sunset:

Aeris looked up into the sky tiredly, the sun hung just barely over the horizon, she felt like she'd walked for days....and they were in the middle of nowhere....

She'd never walked this far in her _life_! She felt as if her legs fall off if she went one more step.

She groaned loudly to get Sephiroth's attention, he turned towards her, obviously irritated, which was to be expected, since she had wanted to stop for hours now; and yet, he still showed zero signs of fatigue.

" What is it now, Aeris?" He asked tersely.

" If I walk _ any longer_ I'm going to collapse!!" She groaned.

" I told you before, I'm not a SOLDIER!! I can't walk for days on end without rest!!"

Sephiroth made a face, and said, " Aeris, we've only been walking for 5 hours, two of which you have spent whining! We are never going to make it to Junon it you don't-quit-whining!!"

Hurt and offended, Aeris snapped back, " One night isn't going to kill 'the Great Sephiroth' and I am _not_ walking from here to Junon in one day!! We can still see Midgar in the distance and we've been walking non-stop since noon!!"

" We are near Kalm....and if _you_ had walked faster, or not been so afraid of flying, we'd be halfway to Costa Del Sol by now!!" He sneered, turning to leave.

" Well forget it!! I'm going _back_ then! The bodyguard is _supposed_ to _listen_ to me!!! And not walk me to death!!" He spun on his heel, and quickly was standing directly over her. He pointed at her menacingly, and growled, " I said I would protect you _if_ you could keep up, and I seriously can't believe you would try to tell me _I'm_ not holding up _my_ end of the bargain, when you _obviously_ can't even hold up yours!!" He paused, before adding, " And don't you try to bring up anything else I might have 'promised'! I already know you made that food from store- bought mixes...and I really don't care _where_ you go from here on!! Leave if you want! I don't care! But I am not obliged to protect you! So I really doubt you have the ability to go home!"

Sephiroth's words stung more than Hojo's slaps ever could, and she felt tears welling up, blurring her vision, she had made those biscuits from scratch! She thought he'd actually cared about her, but she realized her mistake now, towards her home, she heard him calling for her from behind, but she didn't care, all she wanted was to be home, so she could cry on her pillow, so her mother could tell her it was only a dream, someone who truly cared.

Suddenly, she was knocked to her knees by a violent shock to her back, she turned and glared at her assaulter....it was a Custom Sweeper, a gigantic robot, looking over her, she took her 'guard stick' and prepared to fight it, she'd prove to him she was strong!

Unfortunately, when she tried to stumble up, it stabbed her in the arm, causing her to drop her staff and cry out in pain.

" _Aeris!!_" She heard Sephiroth cry, as the robot swung at her once more.

F\/\/\/\/\/\\\/\/\/\\/\/\F\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/7

Cloud stared in horror as he watched Sector 7's plate slam down into the slums below....no....Teef...Avalanche...that little gurl....Marlene?....All of them....dead???

" No...." He whispered, disbelieving, Tifa had to have escaped, hadn't she?..." _TEEF!!_" 

He looked at the ground dully, he failed his promise, to protect her and save her, if ever she were in trouble....

He could still see her beautiful emerald eyes...wait a minute, Tifa's eyes were brown! It was the Flower girl that had emerald eyes, perfect, smiling eyes...but now...where was she? He couldn't let _her_ down, too!

Suddenly, his eyes caught a slip of paper lying on the floor, he picked it up, it was a ticket recept for a boat to Costa Del Sol....

Suddenly a presence violated his mind, _ There are 6 pieces of Jenova scattered around the world, the Body in ShinRa HQ, the lead in Nibelhiem, the hands in Junon and Wutai, and the legs in Mideel and Icicle Village....there is one other component, hidden in a maze, together with it's soul, creates 'crisis from the sky'_

" What was that?" Cloud mumbled to himself, but at least he knew where Sephiroth was going now...and he planned to stop him!

__________________________________----______________ AN: So....here it is!! TOOK LONG ENOUGH!! Lol! Anyway... uh...so I like to split chapters and use cliffhangers...so sue me!!!

R&R

If you like FF7, check out the chapter I am going to put up for my bro's fic _ Big mix up_

Also, to make a plug for an exemplary book, try Targoun's _ Claw and the Spear_ in X-men section...lol


	6. The Kalm after the storm, pt 2

Disclaimer: Square_enix is not mine...Kyoko is though...;p

AN: Alright, so....this is not _exactly_ a lemon...but...^.^;

March 15, 2004

----------------------------------------

**Chapter 4:_ The Kalm after the storm_**Pt. 2

Grunting, Barret heaved a large chunk of plaster off of Tifa's legs

" Thanks Barret." Tifa said, stumbling up, her years of fighting lending her the endurance to emerge relatively unharmed, though her tattered blue dress did not boast such endurance, and looked a pitiful sight.

" Ya can stand _up_ aft'r that??" Barret marveled, studying her shapely legs.

" Yes." Tifa said smiling at him.

Suddenly, her eyes fell on the wreckage of Sector 7, and her look changed to one of shock and grief, forcing him to return to the cold reality.

" Marlene...she....Jess, Biggs, Wedge...Whi' we all off goofin' off..."

" I...I can't believe it..." Tifa sobbed, falling into his chest, " First Cloud...and now...you're the only one I have left..."

" There is no reason to cry, miss..." Came a calm, almost feral, voice from behind them, Barret whipped his head around to see where it came from, but there was no one around...just a cat with.....a _flaming tail_?!!

" Wha' th' heck are you?!" 

" Do you mean who? I...am called Nanaki." The cat purred

" It speaks!" He exclaimed.

" Indeed, much better than you." It nodded.

Angry, Barret was about to say something, when Tifa cut him off.

" Why is there no reason to cry?"

" Because that little girl wandered out of the city just minutes before the plate collapsed."

" She did?!" Barret exclaimed.

" Yes."

" Where to?" Tifa inquired.

" I....do not know the name of the town, I can only show you the way."

" How can we trust ya?!"

" I suppose you cannot." The cat said, then turned to leave.

" We trust you! Take us there!" Tifa offered.

The cat noddedd, and walked off saying, " Then follow."

F|/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\F/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/7

Sephiroth sighed in disgust, as Aeris made yet _another_ sound of protest behind him, she'd been whining for hours now.

Finally, he turned and glared at her, " What _now_?!"

As expected, she went on whining to stop, repeating her spiel about not being a SOLDIER.

He had known when he _met_ her she wasn't SOLDIER material...that was one of the things he liked about her....

He made vexed sound, This was _not_ the time for his thoughts to be wandering like that!

He frowned at her when she claimed they'd been 'walking for days on end' it had only been half the day, and she'd been whining for half of _that_!!

He irritably informed her the time that had lapsed and pointed out they weren't getting anywhere any faster while she was whining, but oh, she didn't _care_ about that! _She'd_ been walking _'all day'_ and she could still see Midgar!! Didn't she understand how _big_ it was??!

Annoyed, he coldly reminded her, that if not for her incessant whining, he'd have been half there already.

When he tried to turn to continue, though, Aeris yelled at him that he was a poor bodyguard, and that he had to listen to her.

Not good bodyguard??!! How many times had he saved her life on the plains alone?? He'd had enough, angrily, he stormed back over to her, til he was just inches above her, now slightly afraid, emerald eyes...she was nervous? Good...perhaps she'd forgotten with whom she was dealing with!

He promptly reminded her, making sure to include the fact that he cared little more for her food, than he did her.

As her eyes widened, and tears began to sparkle in them, he realized his grave mistake, too late.

" I...I made those from scratch, you uncaring _brute_!" She sobbed, then ran back towards Midgar.

" Aeirs! _Aeris_!!" He cried, trying to find a way to apologize, but she simply ignored him, and she ran faster and faster away.

How could he have done that? What was he thinking? He looked sorrowfully at the ground, defeated, she was the only person in the world he actually cared about....and he had stupidly hurt her.....now...he was alone...."

" No...No!" He growled in disbelief, his pain and anger turning into hatred.

Suddenly, he heard a scream from Aeris, he whipped his head up to see a 'custom sweeper' assaulting her.

" No! _Aeris!!!!!_" He cried, leaping at the machine as it went for the finishing blow.

Luckily, he was able to cut it in half first, Aeris was lying in front of him, gripping a bleeding gash on her arm.

Panicked, he squatted down, and inspected it, drawing a sharp cry from Aeris, he pulled out his 'Restore' materia fluidly, as she spoke.

" I....I just wanted to prove I wasn't weak..." She sobbed, " So you....w-would respect me...and..."

Sephiroth quickly chanted 'Cure 2', and touched her cheek softly, " I shouldn't have said any of that, forgive me..."

She stared at him wide-eyed, tears streaming down her face, " You....you didn't...mean....?"

" No, none of it, I'm sorry if I was short with you.." He reassured, brushing her hair out of her face, " I just....really wanted to make it to Mother, and forgot about you.....we can camp here if you like?"

She stared at him in open disbelief for so long, that he was worried she didn't believe him, before flinging herself into his arms and sobbing.

" I...I'm sorry I was so rude Sephiroth..." She said between sobs, " I....I thought you didn't care...that I was just a nuisance..."

Her comments seemed to stab his heart with an ice dagger, oddly, his heart didn't seem so cold and impervious anymore....he pulled her back so that he could look into her shimmering eyes,

" I...I _do_ care about you! You'll never be a nuisance! I'll always protect you, I _swear_ it!!"

Her bottom lip trembled slightly, then she said, " S-Seph, I...I.." She touched his cheek with a hot hand, " I don't want to go away from you, not ever again....I....I love you!"

Sephiroth coughed in surprise, unable to figure out what to do or say, she...loved him?

She loved him?

She..._loved_ Him?!!

He stared at her open-mouthed unable to speak, his breaths coming in short gasps, what was happening to him? What was he feeling??

Suddenly, Aeris' mouth was against his, and his head was against the short grass....he was lying on his back?....

He didn't have to think about it, nor did he really want to, her face was pressed against his, her fingers raking through his hair, her mouth was just as hot and sweet as he'd remembered it, he took the opportunity to feel her hair, undoing her braid, and running his hands down the sides of her neck.

He could feel her hands on his chest, running under his cloak, they were so soft and smooth...

As he moved his hands down the cord tied 'round her neck, to the soft flesh below it, he froze.

Confused, she pulled back, and looked at him, " What is it?"

" I...." He started, unsure of why he couldn't bring himself to take what was so freely offered, "...not yet....If you do....you..."

His mind recalled the last time....when he had so callously tricked Kyoko...No! SHE was the one who had tried to deceive him! She only felt her just deserves! His mother would not have lied about something like that!

Aeris smiled through the confusion roiling in his mind, and touched his cheek, " You think I might be on an emotional high, and will hate myself for the rest of my life, is that it?"

Well....that was an excuse for it, wasn't it? He had never felt this way before....he nodded numbly, happy she could understand.

" Don't worry..." She smiled, and kissed him again, her hands running down to his waist, and for a moment he was lost, his hands unbuttoning her dress of their own accord, and running along the smooth skin, once hidden by the cloth. But a part of him still fought, this was too quick, too cheap.....she was more than another woman...

With what seemed the most effort he'd ever put into doing _anything_ he pushed her offm and shook his head desperately.

" Please...I...I can't let you....not now...please...I..."

She smiled, and leaned into his face, causing him to flinch at the thought that he would _definately_ lose control if she tried again....he luscious lips, begging to be kissed, her dress hanging open, a vicious battle raged inside of him, and the troops in his favor, to resist her charms, were falling dangerously fast, so fast, that he _wanted_ her to try again, desperately, but he _had_ to stop this....this was not him!!!

" I love you Sephiroth.." She said lowly, " I knew you were perfect, no other man living would have done what you just did...and that's why I know you truly love me....not just for my body.....even if you can never admit it..."

Yet again, he was left completely speechless, how could this woman do this to him so easily...was it possible....what she said?....How could he....dare...to touch perfection?

She reached up and kissed him again, softly, tenderly, then leaned her head on his shoulder, he looped his arms around her, and held her tightly, as if a flood threatened to tear him away....should he lose his grip.

" You are beautiful." He whispered, looking down at her, she looked up at him, smiling, and her angle revealed an alarming amount of skin, being as her dress was unbuttoned to he belly- button.

With great effort, he tore his eyes of her exposed flesh, and concentrated on her brilliant, emerald, eyes.

" Goodnight, Sephiroth." She smiled, settling onto his chest, and quickly falling asleep, contentedly, Sephiroth looked around at his surroundings, the sun had set, and the lights of Kalm and Midgar shone faintly in the distance.

He smiled softly at the soothing feeling of her sleeping, and the warm breeze blowing through the hills.

F\/\/\/\\//\/\/\/\/\//F\//\/\/\//\7

As Aeris cringed, waiting for the final blow, it never came.

She opened her eyes and saw him squatting, inspecting her wound.

He'd saved her...even though she'd ran off...sobbing, she tried to explain, so he wouldn't leave her...she didn't want to face the cold reality of being without him ever again, as soon as he healed her, he touched her cheek with his cool, leather-gloved hand, and apologized to her...apologized? The proud Sephiroth? Disbelieving, she tried to confirm it, did she misunderstand?

But, to her utter joy, he apologized again, profusely, playing with her hair, smiling softly...he was so...so beautiful, like an intricate ice-sculpture...the picture of perfection...and he...cared about her?

Sobbing, she flung herself into his strong arms, confessing all her secret fears...and he didn't hate her for it!! She loved him!...Wait...she...loved...Sephiroth?

He pulled her back suddenly, and whispered, " I _do_ care about you....I'll always be there for you.._no matter what!_"

Sephiroth, the strongest, most handsome man, the man she loved...had promised...promised never to leave her...

She felt her lower lip tremble, as she tried to stem the flow of tears, softly, she touched his immaculate, cold, cheek....it was like touching heaven, a forbidden, exclusive, thing..only for her...unable to hold it in any longer, she professed her undying love for him, hoping desperately he wouldn't reject her.

He choked, and stared at her a moment, his breathing faster than normal, and a slight blush growing on his perfect cheeks.

He...he liked that she loved him...? She considered herself a fair judge of human reactions.....

Unable to stop herself, she reached up and kissed him, with the fire she'd been hiding since she'd met him, knocking him onto his back.

He seemed surprised at first, but readily adjusted, undoing her braid fluidly, as she ran her hands through his silk hair and then along his supple, perfect, chest.

A part of her, deep down, questioned if this was too fast, but she quashed it easily, she loved him!

She felt his hands run down her neck to her chest, and then, oddly, he froze, pulling away from the kiss.

" What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

" It's...not time yet..." he whispered uncertainly, " You'd.."

\ He...he was the first man she'd met who'd say no....not even Zack, who'd sworn not to touch her until she said she was ready...he'd freely admitted to sleeping with girls the day he'd met them....then....Sephiroth cared so much....but his concern was misguided!

She smiled, and told him it was sweet of him, but when he seemed to think that meant she wasn't ready, she reassured him she was, kissing him again, his mouth was such sharp contrast to his skin, so warm it seemed almost hot....and it was...very tasty...

Her hands continued to run along his abdomen, and down towards his waist, and his continued on their quest to unbutton her dress, and run along her, now exposed, skin.

Suddenly, he pushed her firmly, almost violently, away again, looking at her intensely.

His eyes held the hunger hers did, but he had a cold temperance to it as well, though there was a spark of uncertainty in them, a dangerous battle....innately, she knew she could have him now if she wanted, that his determination was failing.....but her heart could not allow her....it could not let her take advantage of his 'weakness'....she touched his cheek, and he flinched slightly, as if he were nervous she could tell his state...and meant to take advantage of it....how sad....

She smiled softly, and said, " I love you, again you prove to me why....and that you love me, too..."

He stared at her in an uncharacteristic stupor, unable to form any complete words.

He _did_ love her! This was the happiest day of her life!!!

Happily, she kissed him, not like before, but a tender touch, and she felt him wrap his arms around her firmly.

" Your so Beautiful..." He smiled, as she leaned happily on his shoulder.

Surprised, she looked up and smiled at him, staring into his lovely eyes.

She noted his eyes slip to below her face for a moment, and he instantly jerked his eyes back up to her eyes, a bright red blush creeping onto his cheeks.

Sleepily, she whispered goodnight, and soon, she fell into a peaceful sleep.

In what seemed too soon, she woke to a soft shaking, opening her eyes, she saw Sephiroth smiling at her.

" Come now, we must move."

F/\/\\/\/\//\/\\/\//\/\//\/F/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\7

Skillfully, he dropped to the dirt floor outside of Midgar, carefully he stood, and brushed himself off, glancing up at the beam above him, suspended 50' foot in the air...Child's play.

Suddenly, a shriek violated his ears, " _CLOUD!!!!!!!!!!!"_

" _Teef!?_?" He cried, turning to see her, Barret, and a...cat? Standing next to the gate.

" I thought you were dead!" The two ecstatic friends exclaimed at once.

" Well, as crazy as ya' _both_ ah, it's amazin' ya two _ah_ alive, with th' crazy stunts ya been pullin'!!!" Barret growled

" Ah, and it's a pleasure to see you, as well, Barret." Cloud nodded.

" He does seem to act in that manner often, as I have observed." The cat stated mildly, surprised at it's ability to speak, Cloud arched an eyebrow.

" This is Nanaki." Tifa explained quickly, " He's taking us to Marlene."

" Alright. Well, I need to head towards Kalm, then Junon, so see ya." Cloud said, turning to leave.

" Wha' Bloody fo'?!" Barret blurted, his, already heavy, accent accentuated by his quick speech, making it barely intelligible.

" I have a contract to complete."

" Kalm...is that not to the south?" Nanaki said suddenly.

" Ya! Th' closest one!"

" Then it would stand to reason, that the child was headed there."

" Then we all travel together!" Tifa said happily. 

F\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\//\F\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\//\7

Barret barely repressed a sigh as he watched Tifa fawn over that spiky headed soldier...he wasn't ezactly good for ones heath to hang out with.....not that Barret, himself, was...

" How close a' we???!"

" I _told_ you...a couple of hours" Cloud sighed

" A' couple a' 'ours!!?" Barret yelled, " We been walkin' all day a'ready!!"

Cloud sighed once more, and glanced back his way, " I'm sorry if your tired, if you want to stop, fine then, but I'm not stopping until I make it to Kalm."

" Aww...fine..." Barret mumbled, trudging on, scowling at the cocky, spiky-haired SOLDIER's back, the boy showed hardly any signs of fatigue.

After what seemed an eternity of wandering aimlessly, the lights of Kalm appeared, flickering in the distance.

The lights were like a buoy of hope.....though he couldn't see anything around him, and his memory faded of the events that night, the bed had to have been good, seeing as he passed out the moment his head hit the pillow....

--------------------------------------------------------------

AN: There you go, this has gotta be the quickest update for this book....EVER!!

What do you think? Don't expect another quick update, I warn you!...Wasn't Sephy just kewt?...You didn't expect Aeris to STAY mad at our bishy, did you?

Are you missing Kyoko yet? Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the lovely experiment! 

Try also:

Destiny...a FF7/FF8 x-over

Recruiter..a massive x-over humor thingy...

And of course, my poems....Oh yeah...try:

Rising through the Ranks, my Morrigu, and To Love An Ancient, by Aer_seph4eva...

~Yusagi Sombermoon 


	7. Swamp Crossing

Disclaimer: I do not own FF7, I do, however, own Kyoko, and...my insane dreams..

AN: Here it is...thank you for all your lovely reviews!!^.^Quick Author's boast...My character(Brian) eats Zolom's for midnight Snacks!!...when he isn't chewing on the WEAPONs he destroyed ^, started on: _March 25, 2004_

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 5:_Swamp Crossing_**

_ Sephiroth!!! Sephiroth!! Over here!! Look over here!!!_

The boy turned his head, his feather-soft, silvery hair swinging freely.

" Who's there?"

Suddenly, his eyes fell upon a tall, pale-skinned woman, she had emerald eyes, jet-black, long hair, and her skin was stretched tightly over her skeleton....who was she?

" _ My son!!_" Her voice echoed, as she reached for him, through the tuxedo-clad men who were dragging her away, " _ NO!!! No!! Let me see my son!!! PLEASE!!! I beg you!!!_" Sephiroth stared in shock as the woman was dragged away, screaming and begging.

_ We must rid ourselves of her!!_

Sephiroth stood silent against the wall, as he listened to the adults in the other room.

"_ D-do you mean...?_"

" _ I don't care!!! GET RID OF HER!!!_"

Sephiroth slammed the scientist...his 'father' against the wall, glaring at him,

" Who was that woman?? Who is my mother?!!"

" Sh-sh-she w-was...a-a mad woman..." Hojo sputtered, " A-a result of f-failed experiments!!...D- dead now!!..."

" Who is my mother??" Sephiroth insisted, slamming the man further into the wall.

" J-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-jenova..."

_Jenova..Jenova...._ came a whisper

_Death, death...Jenova....All must die!!_ they sang

Sephiroth awoke with a start, his dream melting from his mind....awoke? Dream?? He'd been _sleeping???_

_ Where are you son?? Hurry up!!_ Came the voice of his mother, dispelling the peacefulness of the pre-dawn Kalm area.

Pre-dawn?? Not only had he slept, but he'd _slept in_??!!

Shaking his head to clear his thought, he quickly replied that he'd be there soon.

As he was about to get up, he realized Aeris was still lying on him, sleeping peacefully, her long hair was spread out on her back, covering most of her exposed skin, eh? Exposed skin? Why.....suddenly, what had happened the night before returned to him, and he could feel his cheeks growing hot...why was he feeling this way?

He noticed one strap of her dress had slid own alarmingly low during the night, carefully, he slid it back up to her shoulder.

She stirred slightly, but didn't wake, he smiled softly, staring at her beautifully peaceful face, he found himself lowering his face to hers, lips hovering mere inches from hers...

_ GET MOVING!!!_ His mother screamed in his mind suddenly, snapping him out of his trance-like state, and causing him to jump slightly.

" Of course mother.." He replied, sighing softly, and shook Aeris slightly, to wake her.

Groaning, she looked up at him sleepily.

" Come, let's go."

Soon, they were trudging along, past the twinkling lights of Kalm, and, luckily, they'd made It to the Midgar Swamp by full dawn, though a heavy cloud cover hung overhead ominously.

" Ugh! How disgusting!" Aeris said suddenly, confused, Sephiroth turned towards her in askance,

" What is it, Aeris?"

" You can't tell me you don't see _that_...that....that swamp.."

Oh, of course she hadn't seen the swamp before...she'd said that she hadn't left Midgar before now.

" Midgar Swamp, a dump of contaminated Mako, the spawning ground of one of the eastern continent's most dangerous creatures...The Zolom."

" Zolom??" Aeris asked nervously.

" A gigantic, mutated serpent, several actually, they prey on the creatures that pass through the swamp, but, on average, a chocobo is faster than a Zolom."

" So...that's what we'll use?"

" That would be accurate, had we any Chocobos on call, as it stands...my chocobo is on another continent." He said calmly, not even looking her way, as he scanned the swamp, searching for signs of a Midgar Zolom...it was a shame he had no chocobo...he rather hated fighting these disgusting worms...their blood stuck to everything...human blood could be washed away easily...and he had grown quite accustomed to it...but Zolom's...ugh! 

" How are we...?" She started, then cut herself off, letting her curious stare speak for itself.

" Yes, I will have to kill any who attack, come now, I will not let you come to harm..."

With that, he grabbed her hand, and led her into the disgusting, infected swamp.

There was a tug from Aeris' hand, he glanced back in worry.

" Sorry...Tripped..."

He nodded, and started to move again, when Aeris' hand was jerked out of his, he whirled around, and to his horror, saw Aeris yanked under the murk, seconds later, as he reached for her, a Zolom rose up out of the murk that she had disappeared into, it's fangs dripping with fresh blood.

" _Aeris!!! Nnnnooooooo!!!_" He screamed in anguish, hating himself for being so weak, so completely helpless...and hating the Zolom even more, for revealing it.

" You filthy peice of–!!" He spat flying at the Zolom, Masamune drawn, with one, swift stroke, he sliced the Zolom's throat wide open, causing it to gush bluish blood everywhere, including on him...though he cared nothing about that anymore...

Even as the Zolom thrashed wildly in it's death throes, he continued to hack at it, cutting it to peices, sending blood flying everywhere...Ohhhh Shoot! Zoloms swarmed on other's blood!!

Suddenly, he saw two other Zolom's shadows rise up behind him, enraged by their crime, he spun into the air, slashing at the Zoloms' throats , screaming profanities at them, in a matter of minutes, the swamp had turned from it's usual pus-color, to a sickly shade of purple, he had slaughtered almost every single Zolom in the swamp.

Aimlessly, he trudged out of the swamp, towards the mines..it was so deathly quiet, and so lonely without her by his side, her constant jokes, her smiles, her laugh...her mere presence...her touch...as he made it to the bank, he could not hold his pain back any longer...all that he had ever loved had been torn from him...

Kyoko stared up at him, wide-eyed, " Are you sure?"

" Yes... I am always sure..."

The diamond glittered so prettily, so...crimson...

Angrily, he wrenched the ring from her blood soaked finger, she had never deserved the ring!

He glared at it a moment, then flung it out of the door, into the fire.

It would have fit Aeris' finger perfectly...

For the first time since he was a child, he fell to his knees and wept, crying out desperately to the planet, or anyone that could hear...to give him just one more chance...just one more!!

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something pink, instantly, he whipped his head towards it, Aeris' dress!

Could she be....he yanked it out...his hand trembled violently, and he flung it with all of his might into a far away wall....all it had been was the top half of her dress, blood-stained and ripped savagely...

_ He noticed one strap of her dress had slid own alarmingly low during the night, carefully, he slid it back up to her shoulder._

She was gone....

_ " I love you...."_

Gone...

_She stirred slightly, but didn't wake, he smiled softly, staring at her beautifully peaceful face, he found himself lowering his face to hers, lips hovering mere inches from hers..._

" No.." He whispered.

_ Aeris' hand was jerked out of his, he whirled around, and to his horror, saw Aeris yanked under the murk..._

"N-no..."

_ " I will not let you come to harm.."_

He had failed...

" _ NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_"

F/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/\/\F\/\/\/\/\/\\/\///\/\7

_She was falling...bleeding....her eyes were glazed..he had to catch her...to save her....._

Her image shimmered, and slipped through his fingers as he reached for her, splashing into the water....He had to save her!!

He leapt into the water...it seared his flesh and bone, but he swam harder, after the disappearing form of the girl.

" Will you give yourself for her?"

" Yes!!" He screamed.

_ The image of the woman leapt at him, rippling around him, and he screamed in agony._

Cloud awoke with a start, dripping with sweat, and panting heavily. He looked around the inn, his reality returning to him.

Barret snored loudly in the far bed, and Nanaki was curled in a ball, sleeping next to the window, where the faint light of a Kalm fake-dawn filtered in, Tifa slept peacefully in her bed, across from his....but it was the empty bed that gripped his attention...

_ Aeris..._

Silently, Cloud slipped out of his bedm and wrote a note for Tifa, then walked out of the door.

A sleepy innkeeper greeted him when he made it to the first floor, and he dug out 100 gil, saying, " Here, for my friends in room C."

" No problem, have a nice day!"

Cloud nodded, and walked out into the chill Kalm air...what was his dream? What had touched him?....He couldn't remember, all he knew was that Aeris was to the south....he looked into the clear, cloudless sky, and frowned, t would rain today...hard.

Cloud pulled his hood over his head, and headed determinedly in the direction of Aeris.

F\/\/\/\///\/\///\\/\/\\/\/\\/\/\//\/\/\F/\/\/\\/\/\/\//\/\\/\//\7

Groaning, Aeris worked the kinks in her joints as they took a pause for her, Sephiroth was leaning against the cavern wall pretending to be alert, but sneaking glances at her every now and then.

" How close to the mines?" She asked, hoping to start a conversation with the silent man.

He looked up at the sky thoughtfully, " Before that storm hits us, I think."

Storm? Aeris glanced up into the sky inquisitively, the early morning sky was devoid of any traces of clouds.

" It will come." He said suddenly, noticing her doubt, " Are you ready yet?"

Aeris sighed, and looked at him in frustration, " We just stopped!!!"

" We need to be across the swamp when it hits, Aeris, or our passage will be severely slowed."

She sighed, and walked up in front of him, forcing him to look at her.

Leaning in closer to him, she couldn't help but smile slightly, as he pressed further against the wall, to preserve his personal space...though he would say it was for her own benefit...it reminded her of the slums...the classic pushy guy situation in reverse.

In a perverse playful instinct, her smile turned slightly more seductive, and she placed a hand on either side of his head, leaning into his face, and saying softly, " What's the rush, Seph??"

" Aeris.." He started nervously.

Playfully, she leaned in, and pressed her lips against his, in an instant, he had his arms around her, deepening the kiss, and pressing her tightly against him, just as instantaneously, he pushed her back.

" This is folly, Aeris!!" Sephiroth snapped, then his look softened, and he touched her cheek slightly, " We...can not do this yet...Aeris, we must be moving."

Grudgingly, Aeris nodded, and followed dejectedly, she hadn't intended to kiss him...she just...did.

Soon, they were crossing the Midgar Swamp.

Hurriedly, she stumbled after him, suddenly, her foot got stuck...

Sephiroth glanced at her in askance, and began to move on, when she claimed she'd tripped...

She..couldn't get her foot free...maybe if she used both hands....she let go of his hand, about to slip her hand free, when something snagged her dress, she turned to look and was dragged under, the murky water stung at her eyes, forcing her to shut them, moments later, she felt the cold presence of several Zoloms converge on her.

She heard Sephiroth's garbled screams, but was pulled deeper, violently, she hit the bottom, as she swung wildly at her assailants, she contacted solidly with scales, but to no avail, she felt a pain in her waist, so immense...so much pain...she screamed as she was gored through by the Zolom's many fangs, it nearly severed her in half...it tossed her violently, but she could feel nothing, as the world began to fade away....she saw a white light, and pain...then nothing

_ Not...yet..._

" _Aeris!!!!_"

F\//\\//\/\/\/\\/\/\//\/\/\/\F/\/\\//\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\\/7

" I...can't believe he left, to find another girl..." Tifa whispered.

" If he didn' wan' ya ta' fin' 'im, he wouldn' a' told ya where he was goin'.." Barret pointed out.

" Junon..." Tifa whispered, " Let's go!"

" Are ya _crazy_?!"

" There is nothing left for me at Midgar, so.."

" B-but..._Teef_!!"

" You saw Marlene already, she's safe...you can stay, but _ I'm_ going!"

"...Fine..." Barret sighed.

F\\//\\//\/\/\/\\//\\//\/\/\/\F/\/\/\/\/\\/\/\/7

In despare, Sephiroth sat on his knees...looking up into the sky, large drops of rain fell from it, he didn't care that they splashed onto his face, or soaked his hair...he didn't care about being right...all he cared about was gone...the woman...he...had...loved...he had loved her...she was the only woman he loved....or ever would....no one..not Kyoko...not anyone could have ever compared to her...

" Planet!!!!" He screamed, " How dare you!!!!! How dare you murder your only child!!! _ Why?!!!!!! WHY?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_"

Suddenly, he saw something...could it be...? Quickly, he ran up to the thing he saw...was it..? He pulled it out of the water....Aeris!!!!

There she was...lying half in half out of the swamp, covered in a mixture of dried blood and Zolom muck.

Her dress was torn from above her waist, and she had curious scars running 'round her waist, carefully, he touched one...it had the size and shape of...a fang? He noticed an identical version of it on her back, as if something, or rather, many things, had gored her before...what?

His eyes trailed up from her perfect waist, to her exposed chest, to his relief, it rose and fell softly, she was alive!!

He forced himself to look up at her equally perfect face, her eyes were closed, and her succulent lips were slightly parted, as if waiting to be kissed.

Overcome with joy, he hugged her tightly, trying in vain to stop sobbing so violently, why couldn't he stop crying?? What was he feeling??

" I love you..I love you..." He whispered, wishing she could hear him.

Carefully, he pulled her the rest of the way out of the swamp, her boots were gone, and her skirt slid off of her, but she had no injuries...

" Aeris..._Aeris_!" He sobbed, shaking her.

Slowly, Aeris' eyes fluttered open, and she smiled softly at him.

" You were right."

Sephiroth blinked in surprise, " About what?"

" It's raining now.." She smiled, then shivered, " It's so cold.."

Quickly, he took off his coat, and wrapped it around her, before helping her into the Mines.

" Are you okay?" Sephiroth asked, looking down at her, still shivering, form.

" Oh...y,yeah....I'm just a little cold...and naked..." She laughed.

" When we make it to Junon, I can get you some clothes," He said softly, then knelt down, and tied a string around the cloak, making it a make-shift dress. " Until then, you'll have to make due with that."

Aeris nodded slightly, then asked when they would be moving again.

Sunset:

Sephiroth paused, and walked into a concealed cave, to get away from the storm. Carefully, he put her down, without shoes, she couldn't make it far, and it was either he go on alone, or carry her.

" We must wait here, the storm will grow worse, before it wears itself out."

Aeris nodded slightly, then jumped, and threw herself into his arms, as thunder crashed in the sky, directly above the cave.

" What was that?!!"

" The sound?...Thunder.." He whispered, surprised she would ask such a thing, then it dawned on him , " Have you ever heard it before??"

" O-of course..."

As the wind picked up, and the storm intensified, Aeris shivered, and buried herself deeper in his arms.

" I...I'm afraid, Seph....I....never saw a storm.... Midgar was always my home..." She whimpered slightly, " Please...hold me..."

A pang of guilt shot through him, that he couldn't have realized earlier, and he held her tighter, whispering, " You never have to be afraid, not ever..."

F/\\/\/\///\//\\//\/\\//\\//\F\//\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\7

Cloud sighed, as he trudged through the gooey swamp, so long as so much Zolom blood filled the water, the Zoloms would be in hiding, but it was quickly being washed out by the rain.

As he made it to the swamp's edge, he made a startling discovery, a pink...dress? It was half- buried in the mud.... as he picked it up, he discovered it was torn, and bloody, a quick survey of the area revealed a pink shirt, and a jacket...ripped to peices....Aeris...No!

He knew she was still alive...it was if he could feel her..always ahead of him...but then...if she had not been _killed_ by Sephiroth, that only left one choice...No!!! How dare he... Cloud clenched the skirt-rag in his fist, and growled lowly...Sephiroth would _pay_ for this...

F\/\//\/\/\/\/\/\/\F\//\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\7

" Wha' we do now??!" Barret asked, glaring at the offending swamp.

" We need a chocobo."

" A _what_???!"

-------------------------------------

AN: Hey there! Another chapter done, another near-death for Aeris...why do I do this to her???

At least this isn't a split chapter...and at least Aeris doesn't have those HORRID boots anymore...(smooth, eh?)

What do you think of Cloud?? ^.^ Doesn't HE jump to conclusions...do you think he'll believe Seph, if he told the truth? Or said sorry? ;p

About Barret....Sorry if his dialect is offensive, it's just a weak attempt of humor on my part, exaggerating his accent from the game, cause I'm not good at that one....I mean NO offense to any darker-skinned people....I just had to say that...

-Yusagi Sombermoon 


	8. Junon

Disclaimer: I don't own SquareEnix...Kyoko is mine though 

AN: BEHOLD!!! I LIVE!!!! I'm so 'shamed I haven't updated....T.T ( more on bottom) 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

**Chapter 6: _Junon_**

As Aeris opened her eyes, she saw Sephiroth smiling softly at her. 

" Let us be on our way, we should make it to Junon by afternoon." 

Stubbornly, she hugged him tighter, and mumbled, " Why are we always moving? Can't we just stay here a bit?" 

He squeezed her slightly in his arms, and whispered in an almost seductive tone, " We can take a break at Junon....and I _do_ own a house in Costa Del Sol." 

He did?! Wow....well....of course he had a house, not like he lived in the wild.....of course he _did_ move around alot..... 

She hadn't realized she had spoken her thoughts, until he laughed and said, " I used to stay at areas for much longer periods of time, during my employment by ShinRa, I actually got to know the places very well, as my troop would often explore the towns and such for 'tactical advantages'....though actually their 'exploration' tended to include mostly souvenir shopping and girl watching, by the time I left I would think of it as a second home, and often ended up buying the places that I would stay in." 

" Of course, though I often went with them to scout out the area, and sometimes shop.... I did not indulge in their 'girl-watching' " So you must know a lot about the world, then..." Aeris whispered, mind wandering, she had never thought of him as a tourist... 

" How about this.....I'll use my knowledge to show you to all the most 'scenic' areas and sights..." He offered, " And....when this is over....I'll let you pick where we stay." 

For a moment, all Aeris could do was stare up at him in silence, Sephiroth....Sephiroth of all people had promised to stay with her where ever she wanted it....and he had mentioned it so casually!! She loved him so much! 

Hugging him a little tighter a moment, she whispered she loved him again, then stood up, helping him stand. 

" Come on now, Sephiroth! Lets move!" she laughed, jumping into his arms, and letting him carry her on towards Junon. 

Sooner than she wished, they found themselves at a dilapidated little fishing village, huddled under a huge, looming, ShinRa building with a cannon longer than the absurd structure was high. 

Carefully he let her down, and said softly, " We'll need to get you some supplies and-" 

Sephiroth suddenly cut off, and got an odd look on his face, before frowning at her and saying quickly, " After we attend to your needs, we must attend to mine." 

Surprised by his sudden change of moods, she was caught off guard by his last sentence, and was unsure of his motives, curiously she asked him to clarify, instead of the slight blush she was half- expecting, half-hoping for, he frowned and said cooly, 

"...Mother." 

" Okay..." Aeris replied lost, hadn't he found her in Midgar....Oh wait....strange.. 

" Upper Junon should have the proper supplies, and a weapon." Sephiroth said suddenly, and walked swiftly towards a big, metal, gate, reminiscent of Midgar, and obviously ShinRa in design. 

Touching the tie in her hair that kept it up in a pony tail, and hid her mother's materia, then followed him. 

The scrawny SOLDIER standing guard leapt up and gave a shaky salute, and stuttered a greeting, " G–gen–general....Seph-Sephiroth....S–sir!!" 

Sephiroth smirked slightly. 

" W-we were told...y-you were dead!!" 

" Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated." Sephiroth said blandly, " Let us pass." 

" O-of course!! General Sir!" The soldier stuttered, opening the gate. 

" You never saw us." Sephiroth said flatly. 

" W-who?" The soldier asked, a nervous, mock-innocence in his quivering voice. 

Sephiroth ignored his comment, and began to walk into the elevator, without warning, Masamune was drawn and pressed against the soldier's neck. 

"_LOWER YOUR EYES!!!!!!!!"_ He snapped, causing Aeris to jump, " Or I shall remove them." 

The boy squeaked in fear backing up, and staring at his feet, pleading for forgiveness. 

For a moment Aeris was perplexed, and then she remembered she was wearing Sephiroth's cloak–and _only_ his cloak...hurriedly she followed Sephiroth into the elevator, pitying the poor soldier. 

Naturally, the man _had_ to act oblivious to her embarrassment, he had done his part and that was all he cared about. 

" Would you have preferred I kill him then? Why are you so flustered?" He said suddenly. 

" N-no! It's just.... I want to get some new clothes is all.." 

" I rather like them." He said, with a ghost of a smile on his face 

She smiled in return, and moved up closer to him, purring, " If you like it, I'll keep it instead." 

" Oh no, it's a pain to carry you!" Sephiroth laughed. 

Aeris crossed her arms, and struck an offended posture, adding a 'hmph' for effect. 

" Ahh, Aeris, quit it!" Sephiroth said in a tone that almost seemed....human to Aeris, though she couldn't explain it. 

" We're here!" Aeris smiled, as the elevator made it to the top floor. 

" Follow me, and....try not to draw much attention to yourself." Sephiroth said cooly, taking her hand and squeezing it ever so slightly, before striding out of the hanger elevator confidently, with her in tow. 

FF7 

Relentlessly, Cloud trudged through the tempest, ignoring the freezing rain and howling wind. He was not even halfway to Junon yet, but the sun was already setting, not that it mattered, he would not rest until he had found her, and dealt with _him_..... 

The chill wind gusted angrily at him, as if it did not wish him to go further......Cloud cared nothing for that! He_ would_ find her, and he _would _save her...if it was the last thing he would do....he would save her.... 

FF7 

" Jeez! Bloody snake nearly took mah head off!" Barret cursed, as he picked himself up off the muddy ground. 

" But you're all right, aren't you?" Tifa inquired, helping him steady himself. 

" 'Course ah am! It didn' _get_ mah head....did it?" 

" we continue this conversation.....inside? The rain is ruining my fur..." Nanaki said suddenly, Barret turned his head to take in the sight of the red beast, and, indeed, he _did_ look miserable with his hair matted and his mane drenched, he tried in vain to shake the water off, but the pouring rain only matted his coat down once more. 

" A'ight, much as I hate ta' say it, he's right." Barret said, futilely trying to wipe the mud off his knees, and trudging wearily through the knee-deep mud towards the 'Mythril Mines' 

" Are you absolutely certain, that Cloud said he was headed towards Junon?" Nanaki asked cooly, once they had made it to the cover of the caves. 

" Yeah, he said Sephiroth had someone important to him...." Tifa answered, her voice sounding distant by the end of the sentence. 

_No good....two timin'.....he gets her all hyped up, den' says he got someone_ else...._she don' deserve that_..... Barret thought to himself, frustrated with Cloud's irresponsible actions. 

FF7 

As the sun was barely crawling over the forbidding and barren mountains of Midgar far in the east, Sephiroth gently shook the frail woman who slept peacefully in his arms. 

Though part of him would have rather stayed there forever with her, he knew he had other duties to attend to first, and his puppet was close behind him, such an obedient puppet... but a driven one, nonetheless.....and Sephiroth was not yet ready to be 'caught'. 

Sleepily, she looked up at him, smiling when she registered who he was. 

" We must move, we will reach Junon soon." He said, as could. 

Stubbornly, the woman only held him tighter, and complained that she didn't want to leave yet....but it was not possible! 

Out of desperation, he offered to take a break in Junon. 

" I didn't know you had houses...." she mused under her breath. 

He couldn't help but laugh at that, was he an exotic animal of some sort, that the idea of him owning a house was so absurd? 

Before he quite realized it, he was telling her stories about his past...before Nibelhiem...Before Kyoko... 

Quickly he switched the subject, offering to give her the million-dollar-tour of the world, her reaction was worth a million tours around the globe. 

Suddenly, she gave him a fierce hug, and stood up, eager now to leave. 

Without hesitation, Sephiroth accommodated her. 

Before the sun had crawled to the top of the sky, they had arrived in the small port town of Junon, the smell of rancid fish assaulted their noses as they neared it, and though Sephiroth was unaffected by it, Aeris appeared quite disturbed. 

" How could anything smell _that bad_???" Aeris complained, 

" The water's of Junon are largely poisoned by the Mako," He explained, gazing down at her, even with a scrunched up look on her face, she was still unbelievably beautiful.... " Most marine life cannot survive, and those that wander in by accident, suffer a slow and horrible death." 

" That's _horrible!!!_" 

" 'That' is Shinra." 

She sighed, and shook her head, but did not continue the conversation, which was just as well, because Sephiroth had no desire to do so. 

As they walked into the run down town, he began a list of supplies they would need and his plan, when a strangely disturbing voice assaulted his mind. 

" _SON!!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN??!!_ " 

Mother?....He'd never noticed her _voice_ to Aeris'.... 

" _Get your mind off that girl!_" His mother snapped, then her voice shifted to a sweeter one, " _Have you forgotten Our mission?...If that girl is good enough for you....her needs can surely wait a little longer_...." 

_Mother...._ Sephiroth started, careful to keep his conversation in his mind, earlier he'd been less wary, and Aeris had caught him whispering, apparently to himself...he had no wish to try to explain it away again. 

" _Don't 'mother' me!! You have an assignment to fulfill, I would think you would understand_ responsibility , _being a general in the army!....Or did you sleep your way to the top, darling?_" 

Sephiroth flinched slightly at the insult, an unpleasant reminder of Kyoko, _I did not 'sleep' my way anywhere! _

" _You have a destiny to fulfill....It is your birthright._..." She said, switching he tone once again from accusing to honey-sweet, " _You cannot risk failure by carrying around excess baggage!_" 

_'Excess Baggage?'_ He half-coughed, barely keeping himself from shouting it aloud, so shocked at his mother's words. 

" _Fine....do what you want, and ignore your mother._" Jenova snapped, leaving him coldly. be extremely annoying sometimes....but she was right.... 

" After we help you, we continue _my_ mission." He said quickly. 

" Which?" She asked too-innocently, as if expecting something other than an answer. 

Very confusing woman..... 

" My mother." He replied, then started anew his list of what she needed, though in a much more efficient manner than he had previously used.....As he should have from the start. 

His mother always had that effect on him, reminding him of his true heritage, and restoring his pride and dignity. 

The gate to Upper Junon, ShinRa's second, and more powerful, stronghold, lay just ahead, and a scrawny guard snoozed in front of it. 

Calmly he approached the boy, and immediately the boy snapped alert. 

The boy took one look at him, and rushed a salute, stuttering so many things at once that it was almost impossible for Sephiroth to decipher his words. 

Rather than responding, he simply stood there silently, as he had always done when addressing a gate-guard, until the boy had finished blabbering, then made a semi-casual comment, that spoke volumes of his haste. 

The boy picked up his superior's agitation, and clamored to the task set before him by the impassive general. 

As a precaution he told the boy to forget he, or especially Aeris, had ever even passed through. 

As Sephiroth began to enter the elevator, he noticed the scrawny man's line of sight.....why that _insignificant_.... 

Without thought, he drew Masamune, exploding with rage at the boy's audacity, ready to kill the boy no matter his response. 

Until reason took over, that was....he couldn't kill the soldier now, he had made enough of a scene as it was, to kill the boy would only mean that ShinRa's annoying little hounds, and even more, his puppet, would double their efforts to antagonize him to no end. 

Regaining his composure, he allowed the boy to escape with his life.....and a reprimand to last his lifetime. 

As the elevator door shut behind Aeris, Sephiroth noticed a slight flush on Aeris' cheeks. 

What could she be distressed by? Was she upset at _him_ for the soldier's actions??? 

Irritably, he queried her on the matter, and she blushed brighter. 

" I-I just want some real clothes...." 

He smiled in spite of himself, she should not be so ashamed.....in fact, he quite enjoyed he new 'clothes'.... 

She smiled back at his reassurance, and moved closer to him, offering to stay in her present clothes...and if he knew Aeris, by the same, she meant less. 

Quickly, he thought of a feeble excuse to keep her out of his arms reach, but somehow, she seemed offended by it, as she mock-pouted. 

" Oh, Aeris...quit it!" He laughed softly, shocking himself with the lightness of it....it was a tone he had not used since before Nibelhiem....since before.....No! He would not think of her any longer!! 

His thoughts drifted back to Aeris, as he fiercely avoided his memories, and he couldn't help but smile softly, as he realized that, if his mother could turn him into a heartless, cold-blooded killer, then this woman could turn him human... 

Strangely, the word 'human' stung slightly....and he reined in his wild thoughts, and slipped comfortably back into emotionlessness, as the elevator made it to the top. 

Taking her hand and instructing her to follow him, he cautiously led her through the streets of Junon, to an old condo he'd always hated....it was one of his oldest, but it would have to do, seeing as a hotel room would be absurd. 

Walking calmly to the upstairs residential area, he ignored all who passed by him, and instructed Aeris to do the same, " If you ignore them, they will never even realize you exist," He'd assured. 

Soon, they made it to their destination, and he opened the door cautiously, scanning the room inside for signs of past activity, but the house was exactly as he had left it, not a hair out of place. 

" I will find you something to wear." He said cooly, closing the door behind her, " Kitchen is second door on the right, but most of the food there is archaic, and thus expired." 

" Depends, do you have canned food?" 

" Do I look like some one who eats out of a can?" He replied, mildly offended that she would suggest such a thing. 

"You don't want to hear the answer to that!" She giggled, smiling, " Where is the bathroom?" 

" Bathroom is last door on the right." 

She smiled and started walking in the direction he pointed, then stopped, and looked back, " You _do_ have soap and towels, don't you?" 

"Aeris!" 

She laughed and said, " Just checking!" 

Exasperated, he shook his head, and sat down on a silver recliner, He may have been a soldier, but he wasn't color-blind, black furniture against a black background was simply distasteful. 

As he heard the sound of the shower kicking on, he leaned back and rubbed his forehead slightly, to ease the, very uncommon, headache, that he had somehow acquired shortly after entering Junon....perhaps it was the extreme concentration of pollution in the air...but that would be unlikely, as he was never before affected by anything so mundane as poison, in any form....if only he could pinpoint the start of the ache, he could figure out the source, and hopefully fix it.....he'd knew that he'd been fine right before entering Junon....maybe it was stress from all the irritating memories resurfacing lately.... 

He felt uncharacteristically tired, as well....it had to be stress...though he was not often prone to such a weakness, there was no alternative. 

Shaking his head, he put the matter aside, and turned his thoughts instead to where ShinRa could be hiding his mother's right hand.....most likely knowing by now that he was here, they would probably try to get it out quickly...but not so obviously as to draw attention to themselves....that would mean they would probably try to slip out on the next chartered boat....which was tomorrow morning. 

" What are you dreaming about?" Aeris asked from nowhere, instantly he jerked his head up, and, shocked by what he saw, jerked it back down. 

Aeris was standing in front of him in a simple pink robe, left hanging open, her skin glistening with remnants of the steamy air in the bathroom, and her damp hair was pooled about her.....she was utterly stunning.... 

And so out of reach. 

"Y-you might catch cold." He stuttered nervously, studying the ground beneath his feet. 

She tipped his face up to look into her stunning emerald eyes with a slender finger, "....And then I know you'll cure me..." 

She leaned down closer to him, her lips only inches from his, " But you won't let me get cold...will you?" 

He swallowed nervously, as she waited for an answer, then found himself shaking his head numbly. 

What was wrong with him?? Why was he acting like some young boy?! It was not as if she was some high-school crush, or suave seductress! 

She leaned in and kissed him suddenly, and a rush of unexpected feelings raced through him....surely it had been long enough....he knew she loved him....it wasn't as if they were in the wilderness somewhere!! 

But he couldn't afford to be off-guard, all the same...he was here for one purpose...his mother. 

The being that was his mother's consciousness pulsed in approval in the back of his mind. 

Quickly, he drew away from the tantalizing taste of heaven and shook his head violently. 

Aeris gave a disappointed frown, and sighed, " Ahh, Seph, you'll never change...." 

Her mild reproval stung as surely as a slap, and he found that he could not meet her dazzling eyes. 

" Oh Seph..." She laughed, suddenly holding him comfortingly, " I'll still love you no matter what..." 

That was right....it didn't matter whether he, himself, was ready to move forward or not...Aeris would be behind him anyway...she....loved him.. 

The blush that surely crossed his cheeks no doubt had created the small smile that Aeris now wore. 

" Good night Aeris..." 

FF7 

Fatigued, Cloud stumbled into Junon, as the sun was setting, an entire day after he had crossed the swamp. 

He knew he was close...she was like a pulsing heart in the back of his mind....getting brighter as he neared...yes....soon he would save her....he would reach the goal that drove him on beyond the point of total and complete exhaustion...a guard snoozed next to a partially open gate, it was a simple matter to sneak by him, and climb the step of the hanger/elevator room, he would search of Junon until he found her....and find her he would.... 

--------------------------------------------------------- 

AN: Hey, hey, hey! Do you all hate me now? T.T 

The chapter was going to include an extra Aeris section, and another Barret section, but I decided to save that for next time. 

Now for an explanation: I haven't updated in a while, because there's been a lot of chaos, first, I moved! W00T! Second, I've been heading up, and webmisstressing, and admining for my EQ guild's website and forum....also, somehow, I end up taking a ½ hour to get my mail done...lol! I did, however, write Fate on paper...up to like chapter 12 or something, and I BEAT EMERALD WEAPON in ff7..WHOOO WHOOO HOOO!!! 

Also, I converted a non-gamer to a RABID FF7 FANATIC!!!...and am gently but surely trying to make her a Aer/seph fan...wish me luck! 

Well, with any luck, my next update won't be in 5 months again! 

_ended_ _on**August 9, 2004**_

Until next time: _**The Sun, The Sea, and a** Ninja_!!!!!! 

Yusagi Sombermoon


	9. The Sun, The Sea, and a Ninja! Part 1

Disclaimer: I don't own SaquareEnix...I do own Kyoko

AN: Yes, I still live and breathe. I still love Enjoy

* * *

**Chapter 7_: The Sun, The Sea, and a Ninja_**! _Part 1_

Aeris smiled slightly, as she adjusted her silken sheets next to Sephiroth, he had actually allowed her to use his bed to sleep!

Of course, Sephiroth was not asleep, he was sitting cross-legged on the bed, closing his eyes and concentrating on something in his mind.

Sephiroth said he rarely needed sleep at all.

Sleeping or no, it was still nice that he was next to her, so it wasn't difficult at all to get to sleep. Then again, maybe all that silk helped.

In what seemed an instant, she felt the familiar shaking, meaning that it was time to start moving again.

Groggily, she opened her eyes, and saw Sephiroth leaning over her, his long platinum hair hanging down into her face.

Smiling, she leaned up and kissed him. She ran her fingers through his hair slowly, feeling the perfect softness of his ultra-fine hair.

Equally as slowly, he looped his arms around her slim waist, and pulled her up closer to him, feeling her hair with his free hand.

Then, as always, he pulled away, shaking his head. It was always 'not yet' he never seemed ready...

He stood up crisply and informed her that they would be leaving on the boat today, and left the room.

As he left, she climbed reluctantly out of the luxurious black bed, and walked over to the lone chair. Sephiroth had left some make-shift clothes for her there.

She frowned when she looked in the mirror after putting them on, the black leather vest-like shirt was too tight, and the absurdly short skirt was divided slightly for walking, made it only to her thighs.

She slipped on the soft leather boots, black of course, and walked out into the living room.

"Be careful, don't get lost in the parade." Sephiroth advised, looking up from what he was doing.

"No sweat."

"If we are separated, we meet at the boat." He said, pinning her with an intense look.

"O-Of course!" She laughed, skipping out of the house.

Boy did she underestimate what she was getting herself into!

As they entered the loud, crowded streets, she was almost immediately separated from him.

Panicked, she cried out for him, but to no avail, her voice was lost in the crowd.

"Aeris! Is your name Aeris?" Came an oddly familiar voice from behind her.

She turned hopefully towards a young blonde man with blue, glowing eyes...SOLDIER.

Instantly she bolted away.

"Wait!"

/\/F/F/7/

"We been walkin' all day an' night!" Barret whined, panting.

"Junon's only a little while further, I'm not stopping until we find him!" Tifa announced from up ahead.

"Ya soundin' jes' like Cloud now!" Barret ranted, "Ya been actin' strange since dis' started, and now ya pushin' too hard!"

"He does indeed appear fatigued." Nanaki said, glancing back at him.

"Shu'up! I can take wha'ever ya throw at me!" Barret shot back, " I jes' think ya all takin' dis ting too far!"

"We can rest in Junon...if we can find Cloud."

"Ya actin' bloody crazy..." He mumbled, grudgingly following.

What seemed like hours later they finally stumbled into the city of Junon.

He was the only one who stumbled actually.

_Oh, when I get muh hands on 'im I'm gonna _kill_ 'im!_

/F/F/7/

"Hey! You! Stop right now! " Cloud demanded at the retreating figure of a young woman.

"I don't think so!" She laughed, glancing over her shoulder and waving.

_That little witch stole my materia! There's no way I'm letting her get away!_

Drawing 'Force Stealer', he chased after her, yelling curses.

Her superior thievery skills allowed her to slip through the crowd easily, but Cloud's huge sword served to provide him similar mobility.

The ninja began to panic when she realized she wasn't getting away, and tried frantically to pick up her pace.

Fortunately for Cloud, she tripped.

In an instant, Cloud caught up with her and grabbed her by the collar of her woolen green t-shirt, yanking her up to his face.

"My materia?"

"H-here..." she whimpered, pressing his precious colored orbs into his palm and cringing, waiting for him to hit her.

"Get out of my sight!" he spat, flinging her away.

"Sephiroth! Sephiroth where are you!" came a cry from behind him, it seemed similar to the one he often heard in his dreams, yet so different.

As he turned, he saw a young brunette woman wearing clothes no self-respecting woman would ever wear. Her black leather outfit was very tight-fitting, and was obviously a sign of being a Sephiroth fanatic.

_That voice...Aeris?_

"Aeris? Is it you? Aeris!" he cried, walking toward her.

She turned toward him hopefully, but her look soon changed to horror and she bolted away.

"Wait! Please! I have to speak to you!" he shouted, chasing after her.

F/F/\/7

Sephiroth smiled down at Aeris' sleeping form.

She'd been surprisingly tired for doing so little in the day.

He didn't really care, he'd promised a break in Junon and Costa del Sol, and that's just what he'd give her.

He only wished he could give her more...but...it could not be...not yet.

When the time came though...

He smiled down at her. He would prove he loved her, in a way that would be unmistakable.

When that day came, he promised himself he would hold her in his arms, and tell her what he feared to now.

Even in sleep, she appeared a perfect angel, even awake.

He had once wrestled with the thought of killing her, but now Masamune would never spill her blood again.

Aeris moaned softly, and curled into a ball, clutching the sheets.

He had intended to contact his Mother, but...

Silently, he slipped under the sheets, and laid down beside her.

He gave a small sigh, as she unconsciously cuddled up close to him.

_Just this once..._

F/F/7

There was only one thing on her mind,

_SOLDIER!_

As she gasped for breath, weaving through the crowd, she stole a glance behind her.

The blonde man still followed her, shouting out incoherently.

_How could they have found me! Sephiroth, where are you!_

Tears blurred her vision as she raced out of the crowd, and into an abandoned alleyway, all that mattered now was escaping...

_Seph...why aren't you rescuing me!_

"Miss! Please! I don't want to hurt you!"

When she turned to reply, her ankle snagged on something, and sent her tumbling with a scream.

When the world finally stopped spinning, the man stood above her, broad sword glinting maliciously in the half-light of the alley.

"S-stay away!" She begged, crawling backwards.

"Please...I don't want to hurt you, I'm here to save you!" He pleaded, eyes wide and innocent.

"F-from who...?" She managed, her will slowly seeping away as she stared into his eyes.

"Your mother sent me, to make sure Sephiroth didn't hurt you!"

"Hurt me?" She laughed, "Seph would never hurt me!"

His eyes widened slightly, and he took a step toward her.

_No!_

With a cry, she flung a handful of dirt at him, and ran down the alley.

She did not make it far, before strong arms encircled her, and a hand clamped over her mouth.

"Look, I'm not sure what he's said to you, but Sephiroth is _anything_ but your ally..."

Her throat tightened at his words.

_What is he saying? Sephiroth has never lied to me!_

"..Now, I'm going to help you get home..."

_I don't want to go home!_

Growling, she elbowed him, and tried her best to escape his grasp.

He seemed oblivious to her muffled cries and sturggles, however, as he drew her closer to him.

"...I'm sorry I have to do this, Aeris, but it's the only way I know how to help you..."

"What!" She cried, chafing at his grip.

There was a flash, and she heard a soft chanting from the man, then her eyelids grew heavy.

_Sleep..._ her muddled brain realized before darkness took her.

F/F/7

_She stood in a lush field, whispers came from all around her, but she could not make out the words._

**_"Our Daughter, Our beautiful Daughter."_** _came the voice of the planet from nowhere,** "You walk the path of hope, child, will you serve us?"**_

_"Of course! I'll do anything!" Aeris cried._

_**"Would you do anything?" **the voice whispered wistfully_

_"Yes!"_

_**"Will you do anything?" **It repeated_

_"I already told you!"_

_**"Would you give anything?"** It insisted._

_As the voice whispered, the field transformed into a desolate and abandoned altar._

_She knelt barefoot in the middle, hands clasped in prayer._

_Glowing red eyes glared at her from the shadows._

_"Die Cetra dog!" It cried, and a sword appeared in her stomach, causing pain to overwhelm her._

_Above her stood Sephiroth, eyes glowing like the faceless creature of shadows, rather than his aquamarine globes._

_"Sephiroth..."_

_"He is my puppet! Mine! Now DIE!"_

_"He is noone's puppet!" She sobbed, "Sephiroth! Please! Help me!"_

_He only smirked._

_"I will help you!" came the voice of the blonde soldier, but when she turned, it was Zack who stood before her._

_"No!" She cried, "I want Sephiroth!"_

_Throwing her head back, she screamed a final time, "SEPHIROTH!"_

_"...I'll always be there for you...no matter what..." She heard Sephiroth whisper in the distance._

_She opened her eyes, and he was laying next to her on a bed, holding her tightly._

_"I love you...don't leave me..." He whispered, "Don't leave me..."_

_"I'll never go! Never!"_

_"Don't...leave...me..." He whispered as the world faded away._

_"Sephiroth!"_

_**"Will you give everything?"**_

"...She's coming around!" Came a voice

"Hmph, we'd better tell Cloud th' _Princess_ woke..." came another.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, and a smiling, pretty, young brunette woman was sitting next to her.

"What...? Sephiroth...?" She whispered groggily.

The woman leaned back, surprised, "No, no...you're safe from him now..."

"Can you really say that, Tif? If he were to come for her, I cannot guarantee I could stop him, though I would die trying." Came the familiar voice of the blonde man,

She turned her head to look at him, and realized he _did_ look alot like a blonde, serious, version of Zack.

"...Sorry about doing that to you...but I was afraid your screaming would attract the wrong attention."

"What to you want with me!" Aeris said, panic creeping into her voice, "You realize Sephiroth _will_ come to save me!"

"Ya _sure_ she's cured?" the big black man in the corner said, "She sounds awful manip'lated ta me."

"Impossible. I used Esuna. There is no way she could be further afflicted by such ailments." came a cool voice from another corner of the room.

_A...cat?_

"Where am I? You realize you won't get any ransom! He doesn't carry gil!"

"How many times must I tell you?" the blonde said, shaking his head, and waking up to her bedside, "I'm on your side. We're all here to rescue you."

"From what? I don't need any help!"

He was silent a moment, before he turned toward his companions, "Guys...would you leave the room a minute?"

"Whatever for?" the woman called 'Tif' asked.

"Ya! Uh...wha' she said!" the black man agreed.

"Just...do it. This is something I want to discuss alone."

"...Alright..." the woman sighed, standing up, and walking toward the door.

"B-But Teef!"

"_Come on_ Barret!"

"...Fine..." the man pouted, walking out, followed closely by the cat.

The blonde moved to where 'Teef' had been sitting, and sat down with a sigh.

"Well...I know your name, so it's only fair I tell you mine...Cloud."

"How exactly do you know my name?"

The man, Cloud, seemed slightly taken aback for a moment, "We met in Sector 1, after the reactor exploded."

_We...did?...Oh wait...is he that polite, flirtatious boy? He didn't seem at all like the kidnaping type...and he bought a flower from me...maybe I'll give him a chance after all..._

"Why are you following me...and how?"

"Your mother was afraid for your life, so I signed up to help." He said grimly, then paused a moment before continuing, his eyes becoming intense, "...But ever since Kalm, I've been driven, no..._dragged_ inexplicably toward you, it's as if I can _feel_ you in the back of my mind...the closer I am to you...the more complete I am...as if I could not _live_ without you."

Surprised, she stared speechless at him a moment.

"Please...I only want your safety."

"I..." She said softly, staring into his desperate, starving eyes...he almost seemed like a rabid dog, thirsting for his final mission.

He seemed so similar to a cross between Sephiroth and Zack.

"Please..." She whispered, "Take me...to the ship...to Costa del Sol...please..."

His eyebrows climbed his forehead slightly, "You don't want to go to Midgar?"

"No."

F/F/7

_"Aeris! Don't go!" Sephiroth cried in despair_

_"I must...it is for the planet..." She whispered, walking toward the swamp._

_"I don't care! Come back!" He cried, grabbing his shoulder._

_"I love you...I only wish we had more time..." She smiled._

_He was holding her lifeless corpse, in an unknown city._

_She was bleeding from a gash in her stomach, and a bloody Masamune lay on the floor._

_"No! NO! You worthless planet! Not her! NOT HER!"_

He snapped awake, Aeris was sleeping peacefully and safely in his arms.

Unconsciously, he held her tight, trying to rid himself of his dream, taking comfort in the feel of her warmth against him.

_I'll never let go...never..._

"I'll follow you to the end of my days." He whispered, hugging her.

She stirred slightly, but did not wake.

_Heavy sleeper._

He couldn't help but laugh at the thought.

"Wake up, my love..." he whispered, shaking her slightly.

She groaned, and her eyes fluttered open.

Her eyes widened as she looked up at him, seeming surprised at the fact that he was leaning over her so closely.

He realized it was much like a lover's pose, and was about to draw away, when she leaned up and kissed him almost comfortingly...as if she knew his dream.

Gently, he looped an arm around her waist and pressed her against him, as she ran her fingers through his hair.

He wished the moment could go on forever.

But, as moments are wont to do, it could not.

With a small shake of his head, he pulled away, and pointed out some clothes, before making a quick sweep of the building, to make sure they did not leave anything.

_"What is taking you so long? The boat has almost left already!"_

_I will not be late..._

_"You should have been here hours ago!"_

_Aeris needed..._

_"Aeris! The worthless girl is only causing you problems..."_

_Problems? She has only been an aid to me..._

_"You are deluding yourself."_ she laughed

He did not get a chance to reply, as Aeris walked into the room he was in, as soon as Jenova spoke.

He smirked slightly as his eyes fell on her tight leather suit, which showed off far more skin than was decent.

_At least no one will suspect an innocent young flower girl to wear that..._

"There is a parade, apparently the presedent was assasinated..."

_I only wish it was me who killed that slimeball..._

"Try not to get lost."

"No problem, I won't get lost!" She laughed, giving him a hug.

Awkwardly, he patted her on the back a moment, then added, "We rendezvous at the boat, should we be separated.

With that, he entered the crowded streets of Junon, Aeris close behind.

It was not so hard to weave through the crowd, most people tended to avoid him.

"Aeris..." He glanced behind him, but to his shock, she was nowhere to be found.

"Aeris?" He said, scanning the crowd, but finding no brunette beauty.

"Aeris!"

Panic gripped him, and he raced through the crowd, searching frantically for her.

After several minutes, he came up dry.

_Where is she!_

"Aeris! _Aeris!_"

He stopped cold, forcing himself to breathe calmly.

_Aeris agreed to meet me at the boat...so that is where I will be waiting..._

**part 1 end

* * *

**

AN: Whew...how long has it been? A year? wow...Sorry, I'd have had it up sooner, but some jerk got my account suspended!

Im disapointed with this ch...lol...

So, until next time!

twitch twitch

I...am going to kill... swear they make their STUPID editing software to twart me... . ;;;; Grrr...

**Preview of next time(subject to slight changes!)**

_"Aeris?"_

_She smiled at him, and kissed him lightly on the cheek_

_"I love you..." She winked "You kiss well, too!"_

_"Aeris..." He whispered, blue eyes wide._

_"We were meant for each other..."_

Yusagi Sombermoon


	10. The Sun, The Sea, and a Ninja! Part 2

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own SquareEnix or FF7...otherwiseI would SO remake FF7 with the current graphic drools over E3 teaser trailer

AN: Hey, hey hey hey! I'm here! really! In case no one noticed, I spent my time recently trying to revampch.2 of Fate! Check it out,there are somebig differences(I'd say pertinent to the plot...but...)so here it is...this is a fairly short chapter, but then TSTSaaN wasn't supposed to be split into two parts anyway.

Lamica: Sorry about that...very busy life...and the first one or two chapters ARE different, I edited them...

Black Malva: Eh heh heh... Well, which one do you prefer? Well, it's not the next week, but is this acceptable?

Exty: Thanks!

Dragonfly: Live with what? Aeris kissing Cloud? or me not updating?

Flyhigh: Why thank you!

Well...Aeris/Cloud haters, sorry...but she'll be doing a heckuva lot more than kissing Cloud over the course of this book...She's a tad flighty...

You might notice my format's been revamped...well...I gotta...lol...yeah, that makes ZERO sense, huh?

* * *

_Fate_

**Chapter 7: **_**The Sun The Sea and a Ninja! **part 2 of 2_

_Why is she running?_

His mind churned out thousands of ideas, each more absurd than the last. It simply didn't make _sense _why the girl was running from him!

_What did I do? I mean, _sure _the sword is imposing, but it's not like I'm swing it wildly or anything!_

"Please! Just wait a moment! I'm not trying to _hurt _you!"

However, with a glance back at him, the brunette seemed only to run faster.

_Argh, women!_

Fortunately, the girl tripped over the uneven cement of the alleyway she entered--just as she seemed out of reach--and he was able to catch up with her immediately.

Her emerald eyes shimmered with fear as she gazed up at him, scrambling backward, and making a pathetic attempt to hold her metal staff in front of her defensively.

"Please...I am here to rescue you, not hurt you!" he pleaded, hands up in a placating gesture.

"F-from what...?"

_What does she mean, 'from what'? How could she be ignorant of the danger she is in?_

"Look, you're mother--step-mother--sent me to rescue you from Sephiroth..."

Her eyes widened in what looked like surprise, and then she laughed. "Seph? Rescue me from _Seph?_ He'd never hurt me!"

He blinked. _What? Is she crazy?_

He hadn't noticed he'd stepped toward her until she screamed and flung a fist-full of dirt at him. The dust only barely reached his thighs, but the girl was already bolting down the alleyway.

_Oh, come _ON

Only a few strides were required for him to catch up with her, and this time he made certain she couldn't scream and run again.

"I don't know what he did to you...but Sephiroth is the most dangerous person in the _planet _to be associating with..." he frowned softly. "I'm going to do my job and get you home..."

The girl, Aeris, was apparently not very thrilled at the prospect of returning home, however, as she immediately began struggling frantically to be free. It wasn't difficult to keep her close, of course, she _was _only a flower-girl...

"I'm sorry, Aeris...this is the only way I know to help you..." he whispered, fishing out a _Seal _materia from where he had recently pocketed his materia. It took only an instant for the effects to take hold, and the small woman quickly fell limp against his shoulder.

Her chestnut hair fanned out from her loose ponytail, and felt like liquid silk in his hands. "I have to find somewhere to take you, at least for today..."

_I suppose the Junon Hotel would be the best place...it's not like Sephiroth would want to go looking through all of _those _rooms._

"Come on, then..." He said softly, picking the girl up bridal-style, and walking toward the nearest hotel.

**_F/F/7_**

Barret groaned irritably. _It's _only _7:30! I _ain't _gettin' up after workin' my butt off from dawn till pre-dawn of the next day!_

"Barret..." Tifa warned, "If you don't get up, Nanaki and I are going out alone...and leaving _you _to pay the tab!"

"Aww, shoot!" He complained, the pillow over his head muffling his words somewhat. "We done travelled half-cross da world yest'day! I wanna break!"

"Fine." Tifa huffed, "You can have your break, but _I'm _not stopping until I find Cloud, alone, or not."

"Awright already! I'm up!" He growled, sitting up reluctantly. The pillow was still on the top of his head. Grunting, he knocked it off and started the daunting task of putting on his boots.

"Humans...your shoes are so unnessisarly bulky." Nanaki muttered.

"Ohhhh no! I _ain't _in da mood fer yer ad'tude!" Barret snapped, hefting his gun arm.

"Come on, children...we have a Cloud to catch!" Tifa broke in, opening the door to the hall, and gesturing through it.

Barret sighed a final time, then followed Tifa out of the room, purposely dragging his feet. However, they needent search far for the missing blonde-haired warrior. When they made it to the lobby, Cloud burst in, carrying a limp youngbrunette, clad in nearly obscene black-leather clothes.

"_Who _is _that_?" Tifa cried, recovering from her initial shock at his dramatic and sudden entrance.

Cloud whipped his head over toward them, surprise clearly marked on his face.

"Tif?"

"Don't 'Tif' me!" Tifa growled, "First you run off with a vague note, and make us chase you halfway across the world, then you bring home _her?_"

"I never _made _you--" Cloud started, but a deadly glare from Tifa silenced him.

_So...he's still got _some _sanity left in 'im, does he?_

Cloud's blue gaze fell back to the woman in his arms. With an odd look that bordered far too closely on madness for Barret's taste, he simply said, "Aeris."

**_F/F/7_**

"Alright. I'll take you wherever you wish to go, then." Cloud said, nodding.

"Th-thank you...I only need you to take me to the boat..." Aeris started, but Cloud cut her off with a shake of his head.

"No. I cannot leave you until you are safely home again...and Sephiroth is finally dead."

_Dead?_

"But...I really would prefer..."

"Please, I know it's strange, but please..."

"Al..alright..." she sighed. _But I won't let you try to kill Seph..._

As she slipped out from the clean sheets, his blue eyes fell on her exposed thighs, and he quickly jerked his gaze away.

"I...have a question..." He said carefully.

"What?"

"Why are you wearing...something like that...? I would have never expected...something so...with your other suit, I mean..."

"Oh..." Aeris said, realizing how revealing her suit must truly be. "I...uh...Sephiroth.."

His eyes hardened suddenly. "No! I..I don't want to know..."

"O--kay..."

_Strange man..._

She glanced over at the clock near the bed, _only ten minutes before the boat leaves!_

"I need to leave _now!_" She gasped, standing up. "I _can't _miss the first boat!"

"Come on then."

It seemed like the halls toward the lobby were absurdly long, as she barely schooled herself from running headlong through them.

"Cloud! Where do you think you're going?" Came the voice of 'Teef' as they _finally _reached the door out.

"Tif...I need to take her to Costa del Sol."

"_Why?_ You just _got _here! You're not leaving without me this time!"

"Ya! Ya jes' got 'ere!" The big man chimed.

"Sorry...I have a job..."

"_Job_? That job can _wait_!"

"I..uh...I'll just go on my own..." Aeris whispered, glancing up at the lobby clock. _Five minutes..._

"No! I--Let's just go!" Cloud cried, snagging her wrist, and bolting out the door.

"_Cloud!_" 'Teef' yelled after him, but as the door slammed shut, anything further she might have said was cut off.

No time was risked on speach, when ever there seemed to be acongestion ofpeople, theblonde warrior merely brandished his sword a moment, and the way was instantly cleared. Luckily, he didn't try that tactic with the ticket master, and simply flung a fistful of gil across the counterand snaggedtwo tickets.

It seemed like only seconds before the boat would launch, Aeris' heart was beating so wildly she thought it might explode, but somehow they managed to make it onto theboat, and get settled among the cargo before the ship finally took off.

It seemedlike the first breath she had taken in ages, as she sighed and fell back across the sacks of grain. "Made it..."

When Cloud made noreply, she glanced down to see him slumped against some crates, shoulders sagging and lids drooping. Bloodshot eyes gazed around their compartment in adeadpan glare, and it seemed almost as if he was too weary even to lift hissword.

_Poor guy..._

Compassion tugged at her, and sheslipped down to thefloor and squatted next to him. "You need rest..."

"No...I'llbe fine...Sephiroth might..." He muttered insisently.

She frowned softly _There seems to be no choice...for both of our best interests..._

Her emerald eyes fell on the_ Seal_materia he had used on her earlier. _If I could just touch it...since it'snotequipped on any of his armor or weapons..._

Smiling, Aeris leaned in toward him and placed a kiss on his lips. Instantly his eyes flew wide open, and he tried to jerk away from her. However, his back was already up againsta crate, so there was no escape for the young SOLDIER.

_Besides that, I think I'm becoming a master at stealing kisses, anyway..._

ToAeris' great surprise, instead of trying to pushher back, he readily returned her kiss, and leaned forward, closing his eyes.

Numbly, Aeris fumbled around his thighs, tryingto find his pocket, and distract him with her kiss. Unfortunately it seemed more like it was distracting _her _than him.

_Wow! He can kiss so well! I'd never have guessed such a quiet guy like him!_ _I mean...it's not like Seph...but...I can't understand how...it's like I'm more alive now than ever before...like the closer I am to him the more vibrant my life force!_

As she distracted him--or something along those lines--by moving to his lap, and allowing him to pull her closer to him, her fingers finally closed on what she was looking for. One moment was all it took, and _Seal _filled the young man with sleep. His eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly kissed him again, afraid that he could still resist or attack her until the spell took full effect.

Seconds later, he was soundly asleep, snoring ever so softly. She wrinkled her nose in feigned annoyance. _Seph doesn't snore!_

"You know...you're a good kisser...sleep now...and...thank you, Cloud..." She whispered, kissing him on the forehead softly.

She turned to see Sephiroth standing in a strict posture, arms crossed over his chest. But the smile that played in the edges of his eyes belied his true feelings.

"Seph!" she smiled, tears welling in her eyes.

"So...Strife's a good kisser, you say?" He said, sniffing, "We'll see about that."

Then he reached down and kissed her.

**_F/F/7_**

_Cloud stared in surprise at the dancing girl infront of him. "Aeris?"_

_She looked over at him and smiled, kissing him. "I love you...you kiss well, too!"_

_She winked at him, with a suggestive smile._

_"Aeris..." he whispered, blue eyes wide._

_"We were meant for eachother..." she whispered, her eyes held a strange red gleam in the light._

_"What...?"_

_"Don't let him take me away...Don't let Sephiroth steal me from you...I am YOURS!" her voice sounded more like a hiss than a whisper, and her eyes flashed a glaring red. **"MINE!"**_

Cloud snapped awake with a shout. A short haired girl smiled at him, a goofy grin plastered across her face. She held in her hand materia...several colors...she wore a green sweatshirt-thing...and...

_Wait a minute!_

**CH end**

* * *

AN: Awright...I'm sorry it's so short, but I as compensation...I guarantee you Aer/Seph lovers will adore the nest(two?) chapters of Fate! I don't wanna spoil things...but lets just leave it at this..._things are getting awfully warm in here..._

_**Preview of next chapter**(Subject to change)**: Coast of the Sun**_

_Important to him...? Does he really think of me as more than a sister at all? He HAS always avoided my advances..._

_She clung to him tightly, fighting away a wave of depression._

_Maybe I can handle being a little sister for now...maybe..._

_The tears that stung the corners of her eyes defied her ideas._

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	11. Coast of the Sun, part 1

Disclaimer: Three years ago...I didn't own Squaresoft or Enix now...I don't own SquareEnix--I do cherish and own Kyoko, tho.

AN:Hopefully I can get this one up fast, as I enjoy the chapters coming up soon...'sides, I need to catch up with my rivals! I may be the only Aer/Seph epic that's only made it to Costa del Sol...(On that note, despite what it may seem, I do not steal my ideas...I seem to have the bad luck of thinking along the same lines as most of my favorate authors...)

Loire: Well, I hope to.

Oblivion: ehh...yes indeed it did

Kurai: Did I reply already? Thanks! Your name's pretty good, too!

Lao: Grr..yes it does! They better not try that again!

* * *

_Fate_

**Chapter 8: _Coast of the Sun_**

_Part 1 of 2_

Sephiroth frowned as he sat on the bulkhead...he could feel the newly freed hand of his Mother calling to him, but he brushed it away for the moment. He needed to be fully alerttodo this._First...I must find Aeris...and to do thatI need the puppet's mind._

Carefully, he reached out and snagged a hold on his puppet's mind, notenough toimpair its movements, simply enough to see through his mind. He was unsure why as of yet, but somehowthe puppet could sense Aeris.

Sephirothwas barely able to suppress an uncharacteristic eager gaspas he made contactwith the puppet_. Aerisis on the boat_!Digging deeper, he reached out to findwhere on the boat shewas.

He made an angry noise in his throat, as he found her_. That insubordinate puppet! She is mine!_

Storming out of the hideaway he had been lurking in, he raced towhere he felt the puppet. To his dismay, he saw Aeris sitting on the puppet's lap, kissing him passionately. A pang of jealousy flared into hurt and anger as his gripon_ Masamune _trembled.

_How...could.._

Then he saw it, the flash of a green materia under Aeris's fingers. The puppet jerked back, surprised, but she pushed herself on him, pinning him against the crate until the sleep spell took hold.

Sephiroth let out a relieved breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. _She only used Strife to get free...she would never betray me..._

Aeris laughed at the puppet, saying he was a good kisser, and gave him a parting kiss before turning around. She gasped as he eyes fell on him, eyes widening happily. If she were worried she'd been caught, she showed no sign of it.

"Sephiroth!"

He crossed his arms and tried to look strict, but his joy at finding her still his won over, and after a half-hearted comment he gathered her up in his arms and kissed her like he had never kissed her before.

Breathless, Aeris stared up at him, dazed a moment. "I..take back what I said! Cloud is _nothing _compared to you!"

"As it should be." He said, a small smile on his face. "However, we must leave this place quickly. Come, it would not do to be spotted."

Aeris nodded quickly,and followed him to a small cargo room near the end of the ship--nowhere near where he had been originally.

**_F/F/7_**

"How could he _do _that?" Tifa growled.

"It appears that he has a job he must complete before journeying further with you." Nanaki said cooly.

"_Jour'n further?_ He ain't beenjour'n at_ all _wit'us!" Barret growled.

"Well!If he thinks he can run off with that tramp, he's got another thing coming!"

"Whaddya dinkin' now?...Teef?"

"We're following him, come on!"

"Aww man! An' der does mah day off!"

**_F/F/7_**

"Give me my materia, girl!" Cloud growled.

"Ah, ah, ah! That's not the way we play it!" She teased.

Irritated, Cloud glanced over at his sword. _Out of reach..._

"I can still snap your neck." he warned.

"Hmm...you must be in a hurry to follow that girl you were kissing!" she laughed, the smiled. "She went off with some Sephiroth-look-alike."

_No! NO! He recaptured her! I should have _realized _he was manipulating her! There is no way she'd ever do something like that willingly! She's too innocent..._

"Oh, cut the melodramatics! I can help you find her!" She offered pointing to herself, "None other that a first-line Ninja!"

"For what price?" He asked skeptically, narrowing his eyes.

"Hey! Calm down! Not your materia!" She laughed, "That girl said you were a great kisser--o'course she said that other guy was better after he did a prince-charming-sweep-her-off-her-feet kiss..."

_She said that?...Sephiroth...Sephiroth kissed her...again. _He frowned,_ That sick freak...Everything is falling into place now..Manipulation...the clothes...the kidnapping...everything...everything except...why? Why her?_

"Earth to cutie?" The girl giggled, "My price for my services is a kiss!"

He glared at her. "What?"

"I love a great kiss!"

He frowned, and weighed his options. _I could kill her...but no...too messy...too slow..if I don't find Aeris soon..._

He gave an involuntary shiver at the thought of what would happen to her.

"Fine."

Fighting off a grimace of disgust, he leaned up and tred to kiss her. Though their lips met only for a brief second, he felt somehow defiled...like he had somehow betrayed Aeris. However the ninja girl was not satisfied.

"Oh _come on!"_ She growled, and jumped forward to deepen the kiss.

Startled, he tried to leap away from her, but he found himself in the same uncomfortable position he had been withAeris, pinned against the crate by the young woman. Her hands clasped over his cheeks, and her thin frame pressed up against him. his mind screamed in fury, and demanded he fling her off of himself. It reviled him, sickened him, infuriated him. Irritatingly, his fatigued body was sending him completly different orders about this youngfemaleninja forcing herself on him.

_No...I have to save Aeris!_

With a feral growl, he flung the young girl off of himself, and leapt to his feet, snatching his sword.

The girl gave him a stupid smile, and laughed. "_That _was better!"

"You're lucky I don't kill you."

"You won't. Because you want to find that girl, right?" She laughed, standing, "Name's Yuffie."

He only continued to glare at her.

"I'm not handing the materia over until you give me your name!"

"..Fine, fine..." He snarled, "Cloud. Now,_ give me my materia_!"

Smiling, she tossed the colorful orbs at him, and skipped off, motioning for him to follow.

Glancing down at the materia in his hand, he noticed there were no red orbs...and his pockets felt considerably lighter...

With a growl, he chased after the thieving girl. _Twice! TWICE! In one day!_

**_F/F/7_**

Aeris smiled contently at Sephiroth, as he sat aways from her in the room, crosslegged and silent.

_I'm so happy to be with him again...here mere presance is comforting...like when I touch the planet._

She only wished she could shake the knot in the middle of her stomach that Cloud had somehow left.

"So...you know Cloud? Is his name really Strife? Or is it like a nickname?" She asked eagerly, trying to stir up a conversation.

Sephiroth opened one eye slightly and glanced over at her, "Last."

She furrowed her brow slightly. _Last...? A nickname...?Wouldn't that be 'latter'?...Ah! Of course, his last name!_

"How do you know him?"

He sighed, then said, without opening his eyes, "War...or more properly, ShinRa."

"Aaand?" Aeris pressed, leaning on her stomach attentively. "Come on! Tell me the grisly details!"

Sephiroth glared at the floor--fortunately not at her--before saying, "I...knew him a little..after the war..."

"Seph..." she warned.

"He...quit during an expedition to his hometown, Nibelhiem...when I found my Mother."

"Wow!...his hometown is Nibelhiem? Why did he quit?"

Sephiroth stared at the wall in silence a moment, "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh..." she sighed. _He's always so secretive.. "_My hometown is...Midgar...I think..at least that was where I first remember growing up..."

_After...the labs...anyway..._

"What about you?"

"I don't have one."

"What?" She asked, confused. "How is that possible? Were you born in the wilderness?"

"_I don't know, Aeris!_" He snapped."Would you _stop _asking _questions _now?"

"Oh...sorry..." She whispered, staring at the ground. He apparently wasn't in a talking mood.

_He's never in the mood to talk...here I am..stupidly ecstatic that I'm finally with him again...and he doesn't care...he just...doesn'nt... _She fought back a sniffle, _But...he's not the one head-over-heels, is he?_

She felt his hand on her shoulder. "Aeris...you give up too soon."

She glanced up in surprise, and saw a soft smile resting on his lips. He touched her cheek gently, and spoke. "So...you're jealous of Mother? I guess I give you good reason to be...but then...I spend all my time with you, don't I?"

_Jealous? Hah! _Aeris sighed, _That's it, isn't it? All his devotion and love is reserved for her...all that's left for me is apathy._

"Stop it..." He whispered, hugging her, "You're important to me, too.._so _important...maybe more than her..."

_'Important'? Is that his lame excuse not to say he loves me? Or is it that he _doesn't_..not that way..Does he think of me as only...only a sister...? He's always avoided my advances, hasn't he?_

She clung to him tightly as he pulled her into his lap, rocking her soothingly.

_Maybe...I can be a sister for now...maybe...maybe..._

The tears stinging her eyes told her otherwise.

**_F/F/7_**

Sephiroth frowned, _How can I contact Mother with Aeris jabbering on like that?_

It was true that he had decided he could not live without her company, but he had not communicated directly with his mother for some time...and that simply couldn't be healthy.

Finally, his patience slipped, and he snapped at the brunette girl. Refreshingly, she fell silent anf he was nearly able to contact his mother, when he noticed the tears shimmering in her eyes. Despite his mother's eagerness, he shelved her consciousness to the back of his mind, and moved over to Aeris.

He touched her shoulder lightly, and tried to cheer her up, but she still had a haunted look in her eyes.

_She...she's jealous of Mother, isn't she? She always seems to throw a fit if I do anything withMother...True...I suppose I_do _tend to pick inopportune times...but...I..._

He tried to tell her that she wasn't unappreciated, unloved...but fear seized his throat, threatening to strangle him..._I once thought I loved another woman...but..._

Unconsciously, he held her tighter, _I'll never let you betray me...never..._

The tremors in her body, the stifled tears, subsided finally, and her breaths slowed to a soothing rythmjust as the boat came to an abrupt halt.

**_F/F/7_**

"Are you saying _another _Jenova specimin has escaped?" the young president growled. "I am _not _happy with you, Hediggar, ever since I had my father 'eliminated'...you have caused me nothing but grief!"

The round man bowed apologetically, wringing his hands nerviously. "I...I'm sorry, President, but we could ot have anticipated Sephiroth--"

" _'Could not have anticipated'_? For Planet's sake, he made off with the _last _one! Who did you expect? My father's ghost?"

"Well...I-I didn't..."

"Get out of my sight! And if I have one more set back--one more! I'll bury you alongside my father, do you understand?" the youth raged.

"Y-yes, Pr-president Rufus sir!" The man stuttered, running out.

Tiredly, the boy sat back in his chair. _Sephiroth's back...and he's collecting his mother...rumors even place him alongside that Ancient girl, no less! _He growled in irritation, and leaned forward in his chair, _That thing has been a thorn in my side ever since my idiot father created it it! But...this time it will be _dealt with

**CH end **

**

* * *

**

AN: WOW...that was pretty fast for me, don't you think? I wanted to wait for Lamica to get a chance to read...but...instead, here's a double update(might as well be) for ya, Lam!

Yes...I had to find _some _way to kill that fat president...I can't stand him...

Next chapter, I must warn you who dislike Sprite...there will be some fun citrus...XD

_**Preview of Chapter 8: Coast of the sun **part 2 _(Subject to change)

_"Your 'job'? You'll 'acomplish it alone'?" She cried, "You need to WAKE UP! You are so OBSESSED with this girl, you don't even seem to realize she doesn't WANT to be rescued! She's not running from Sephiroth, she's running from YOU!"_

_"SHUT UP!" He screamed, pointing at her threateningly, "You're just an IDIOT! You know NOTHING! I WILL find her, I WILL rescue her, and you will NOT interfere, or so help me...Iwill REMOVE you!"_

Note to Cloud haters/lovers: I do _not hate Cloud!_ T.T I luv him...I'm really sorry I have to do this to him...but...

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	12. Coast of the Sun, part 2

Disclaimer: 11 chapters, and you still don't know I don't own Squareenix? I'm losing hope for you people...;p

AN: WOOO..3 chapters in a quick span? I thikn I'm updating too fast for some of you...but then it's better than updating too slow...

YESH there is citrus in this here chapter, nothing traumatising, but if your reading this wondering why this is M rated, wonder no more.

_Oblivion_: ditto, it's sad when I don't get reviews...

* * *

_Fate_

**Chapter 8:_ Coast of the Sun _**

_Part 2 of 2_

Barret shook his head violently at the drazy shirt Tifa was offering him. _She can't expect..._

"Come on! You'll look cute!"

"Cute? Ah ain't _cute!_" he protested.

"Barret! You _have _to!" She insisted stubbornly. Her bottom lip stuck out, and her eyes widened in the classic 'puppy eyes of doom' look. "_PLEEEEEAAASE?_"

He sighed, defeated. "A'ight...jes...stop da 'puppy eyes'..."

She smiled happily and kissed him on the cheek, "Thanks! You're the _best_!"

He shook his head and walked into the empty cargo room that Tifa had designated 'The Dressing Room'--complete with a taped up peice of paper.

_She jes knows she has me wrapped around her pinky... _he sighed, _Too bad I don't care..._

**_F/F/7_**

The girl looked around a moment, scratching her head, dumbfounded.

"I _know _he went this way...I mean he _couldn't _have just disappeared..."

Cloud gritted his teeth, straining not to throttle the girl here and now. "Are you saying you _lost_him?"

"Oh, keep your pants on!" She snapped, waving him away, "A ninja never loses her prey!"

"Then _where _is she? I don't _see_ her! I think you were lying!" he growled, storming up to her and pinning her to a wall, ignoring her panicked yelp, "Now...either find her...or find a place to curl up and die...or _so help me..._"

"_Cloud!_" Came an all-too-familiar voice.

"Turn around and go away, Tifa." He said, a touch too calm even to his own ears.

"You're not 'go away'ing me! Drop that girl and get over here! Or is she _another _rescuee?"

Annoyed, he let the ninja drop to the floor, and spun to face Tifa, the woman who not long ago held his deepest affections. She was glaring at him, and had her hands on her hips. Her mahogany hair fell to her waist and curled around her generous endowment. She looked utterly unappealing...repulsive, even.

_Aeris would never strike that petulant look!...Aeris..._

"Are you even _listening_ to me, Cloud Strife?" she growled suddenly.

"Stay out of this, Tifa. This is my job, and I will accomplish it alone."

"_'Your job? _You will '_accomplish it alone?_'" She cried, "You need to _wake up!_ You are so_obsessed _with this girl that you don't even seem to realize that she doesn't_ want _to be rescued! She's not running from Sephiroth, she's runningaway from _you!"_

"_Shut up!_" He screamed, pointing at her threateningly, "You're just an _idiot_! You know _nothing_! I _will_ rescue her, and you will _not _interfere, or so help me I will _remove _you!"

She stared at him silently a moment, pale, then spoke in a shaky voice, "I...can't believe you would say something like that..."

For a moment something felt caught in his throat, as the tears rolled down her cheeks, but then he shook his head violently to clear his mind, and turned to the ninja. Yanking her roughly ahead of him, he ordered her to find Sephiroth.

"Cloud! _Cloud!_"

**_F/F/7_**

_"I won't leave you...don't cry...I promise I'll be back..."_

_"You...You...LIAR!" She screamed, sobbing, "You lied to me! You never came back!"_

_"But I'm here now...aren't I?" He whispered, his unruly blackhair fell into his face, partially covering one sky-blue eye. _

_'He's here..isn't he? Those years alone were just a dream...just nervous fantasies created by my over active imagination...'_

_For a moment she allowed herself to fall into his reassuring arms, but then she heard Sephiroth calling her._

_'Sephiroth...no...this is all a dream...Zack never came back...it was Sephiroth who rescued me from Midgar...Sephiroth that I...'_

_"Aeris..."_

_"Leave me ALONE!" She screamed, and fell backward int oblvion._

_--_

"-ris!" Sephiroth cried, shaking her, as reality returned to her.

"Seph-roth?"

"You were crying out in your sleep." he said, concern seeping into his voice.

"I...it was just a bad dream..." She whispered, hugging him, "As long as you're here..."

"The ship has docked.." He said softly, petting her hair. "We can..take a break here...rest..you're obviously tired from today's events, and you didn't get much sleep yesterday..."

She looked up at him, his aquamarineeyes were soothing as they pulsed with the glow of the lifestream.

"Thank you, Sephiroth." She sighed, smiling.

To her delight, she noticed a slight pink creep onto his pale cheeks.

"I havea villa, it should still be empty." He frowned, "It had _better _be."

She couldn't help a giggle at that...the very image of them walking in on another couple...but the image of what would likely follow caused her laughter to die in her throat.

"Come..." he said, cutting her thoughts short, and leading her carefully through the mostly abandoned ship and into the gloriously sunny Costa del Sol dock.

"Excuse me, if you could show me you papers..?"

"_What?_" Sephirth growled softly, rounding on the boy of a sailor. The boy had looked dehydrated and heat-sick _before_a notoriously dangerous swordsman had given him a death glare.

"I-it's just...there were...s-some suspicious people...a-and I h-have to..." he stuttered, trembling visibly.

"Here." Aeris smiled, handing the papers Cloud had bought for them.

The boy glanced at them, and with an obvious touch of relief in his voice, said, "Mr and Mrs Strife? Sorry to bother you."

As Sephiroth wrinkled his nose in distaste, Aeris quickly said they didn't need a reciept, and shuffled Sephiroth away before he could do anything drastic.

"_Mr. and Mrs. Strife?_" He growled as the made their way across the deck.

He did not speak loud enough for the boy to hear, but there was venom dripping from his words.

"Well, he didn't know my last name, after all..and we were in a collosal rush." She shrugged, "You should thank him, if not for him I wouldn't have made it to the boat."

"I _will not_ thank him!"

"Do _you _know my last name, then?"

Sephiroth's mouth tightened, and he muttered something incoherent.

"There, so stop whining about him!"

"I am not _whining!_"

She sighed, and hugged his arm, "Oh, Seph..."

He stiffened, "Aeris. Let. Go."

"What? People think you're Mr. Strife, remember?"

"Correction. _he _does. Now _let go._"

She sighed, and released his arm, "It's Gainsborough. You coulda' asked."

"What?"

"My last name." She laughed, "Now you know more about me than Cloud!"

He glanced down at her skimpy clothes, and smirked. "Oh...I think I know _lots _more about you than he does."

Aeris turned away quickly to hide the blush growing rapidly on her face. "L-let's just go to your place..."

"That's the smartest thing you've said since we got here."

**_F/F/7_**

He frowned slightly, _Why is the door open?_

Cautiously, he entered the villa, ready to draw_Masamune _at a moments notice.At a glance, the villa appeared empty, but there were noises comeing from the basement, and the bedroom door was open slightly. Silent as the shadows that lingered in the villa, he crept into the bedroom. To his irritation, a man lay sleeping on the bed closest to the door.

"Who's that? A servant?" Aeris asked from behind him.

"I don't have servants." He replied flatly, not bothering to look at her.

Irittated, he walked up to the man, and drew _Masamune_, keeping the tip of the blade hoving just barely above the man's throat as he shook the man with his other hand.

The man snapped awake and instantly noticed the lethal blade aimed at his neck. The man considered it a moment, then brushed it away and sat up, putting on his most winning smile and launching into a salespitch.

"Ah, so you must be absolutely in _love_ with this villa! And who can blame you? With it's two floors--complete with a root cellar in case of a Mako war--a bathroom to die for, spacius bedroom, an absolutely _lovely_ view of the Costa del Sol coastline, _state of the art Mako_-_Ware _fridge, central heat/air system so that you and your lady friend will stay warm in the winter and cool in thesummer, and _the cuting edge _filtering system thatensures your little ones will not mutateinto something strange and unknown frommako posioning, _who wouldn't _love this little baby? As a matter-of-fact, this little delicious villa was once owned by the Late President Shinra! Nowwe're selling it for the _low low _price of300 thousand gil! Act now and get this_ exquisitely _crafted Wutain furniture _absolutely free_! Yes, you heard me, free! Now, I know what your thinking, 'I want this baby, but I just don't have the gil now!' well, with our easy payment plan of just 3000 gil a month(Plus interest, taxes, fees, and levies), anyone can afford it! And if you buy now I'll _even _slash_ two _payments! Yes_, two_! This is a deal to die for!" The man stood as he spoke, gesturing wildly. Most shocking, was that he said all that in one breath.

Sephiroth had been staring in dumbfounded hock as the man spoke. Finally, he shook himself out of it, and levelled _Masamune _at the annoying man's voicebox.

The salesman abruptly silnces, and stared warily at the weapon poised at his throat.

"This is _my _villa. Get. Out."

"B-but--"

"_OUT! _Or I'll have to settle for some stains on my carpet!"

The man jumped slightly, and scrambled out of the room, calling to his companinon downstairs.

_Annoying humans...this is why I never bought cable._

"You handled that situation well..." Aeris purred from behind him, looping her hands around him and kissing his neck, "Most lesser beings would have killed the salesman."

"A-Aeris.." He began, struggling in vain to swallow the growing desire he felt.

He heard the front door slam as the other companion left,. then Aeris slipped away to lock the bedroom door, before stepping infront of him, emerald eyes filed with the burning he felt.

"You've waited long enough, you've proved time and again you are a gentleman.." she said seductively, as she undid the clasp that held up her skimpy shirt, and let it slide to the floor, revealing milky-white breasts.

Slowly, she closed the distance between them, and ran her hands up her chest to work on his cloak-clasp. Desperately, he brought his hands up and seized hers, shaking his head. _Not yet! This isn't right yet!_

She smiled seductively, and kissed him, entangling her fingers in his hair.

Reason fled him.

Growling in a blind passion, he swiftly discarded of her miniature skirt, and pushed her down against the bed, grasping her hair in fistfuls, pulling her up against himself forcefully, trying to feel every part of her at once, tasting her succulent neck like a starving man. To his delight, she 'yipped' happily in response.

She was so perfect, so delicious...her breath came in shortgasps as he ra his hands across the length of her body.

But somethingwas wrong...somethingdrew his attention to the window_ No! Not now!_

She moaned his name as he explored her every crevase with his mouth and lips. if only he could get thatstupid belt off!

Again the window called to him, but her nails digginginto his back was so much more captivating...

And then he heard a scream. Whipping his head up, he was just barely able to glance the form of oneof the puppet's comanionsbeforeshe raced out of sight.

Reason flooded his mind, and he leapt up, gathering his sword fromwhere he had discarded it.

"Sephiroth?"

Heglanced over at her, she was still lying naked on the bed...a great part of him demanded he finish the job he had started_...No...we cannot be found by the puppet yet..._

"Aeris...we have to go..."

"I...Understand..." She whispered, eyes filing withtears.

But sheonly lay on the bed, sobbing silently, for sometime afterwards

**_F/F/7_**

"Where was he? Tell me!" The man that had once been Cloud insisted.

It had been somewhat difficult to find him, but Tifa just couldn't leave her...like that...

"With...Aeris..." she whispered, images of what she saw floating to mind.

"_I know that! WHERE?_"

"I-in that villa's bedroom..._With...her..._"

"With her?"

"Yes..._with..._Aeris..."

Realization dawned on the blonde's face, and for an instant he looked absolutely horrified, then fury clouded his features, andhe raced off, screaming profanities at Sephiroth.

Tifa slid shakily down toa crouching poition against thewall, tears escaping her desperate grip, and stinging her cheeks.

_What is happening to him...?_

**CH end**

**

* * *

**

AN: _OMG!_ I had to re-do half of this chapter! My page CLOSED! ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Well, it's not as good as it _was, _but hopefully it was still enjoyable.

What? You expected more? Aer/Seph need to wait a _little _longer...after all, we wouldn't want Seh feeling guilty, would we?

_**Preview of chapter 9: Dangerous Commitment **Part 1(subject to change)_

_"Aeris!" Sephiroth cried from above her, it was a tortured sound._

_Will he save me this time? Can he?...I don't deserve it anymore..._

_She realized numbly that there could be no second chances this time..._

_This is the end..._

_"NOO!"_

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	13. Dangerous Commitment part 1

Dsiclaimer: I don't own Squareenix or FF7! It'd be like, Yusagi-soft if I did...and I do not own anything of Avril's...amazingly. :P

AN: Oh...now I'm irritated. Finally get to updating this and I lose what I'm writing? Nuh-uh, buddy. I ain't playing that...

Anyway, hullo all. See? I'm not dead. Although I'm sure I shortly will be if I don't update more often.

Remember...due to some odd glitch, random spaces will be gone...I'm not intentionally combining two words--I can't help it!

Ooh..first time there are lyrics in it!(but I've always intended on putting lyrics in them sometimes) I might remove them if you feel it detracts...but it's the song that 'wrote' this chapter...in any case, don't you be sending me any Avril-bashing reviews! If you think the song breaks up the flow badly, I'll move it to the edges of the chapter--if you just don't like the song, tough. :P

* * *

_Fate_

**Chapter 9: **_**Dangerous commitment **part 1 of 2_

The fury that had possessed the blonde warror earlier haddisappated to a subtle manner in the way he acted, revealing itself in a rough edge to his voice--when he actually spoke, thatwas. Yes, he was still infuriated, but now it seemed to be a controlled anger, simmering just under the surface.

Tifa shook her head quickly to dispell the tears that threatened to reveal her feelings to her overly tough companions. He was nothing like the shy boy she had grown up with, the one that had determined to join ShinRa and become as great as 'The Great Sephiroth' just to impress her,

_But then..._

Cloud froze, jarring her out of her thoughts at his suddenness, and stood rigid against the rocky mountain pass they were traversing.

"Cloud..." She began, stepping toward him.

Cloud whispered softly to himself, apparently oblivious to her. "Aeris..."

The word stung her, and she drew back dejectedly. _Aeris..that strange girl...it's always about that girl now..._

"Teef." Barret's voice cut into her thoughts. "C'mon now, ya can't git down o'er sumthin' like that! Ya jes gotta teach 'im who's boss!"

She smiled in spite of herself, perhaps it was because it came from "Mr. Insensitive Barret", but those few words of comfort were just what she needed to snap out of her slump.

If Cloud thought he could get away with two-timing _her_, he had another thing coming!

**_/F/F/7/_**

Aeris sighed as she walked across the rickety wooden railroad, Sephiroth hsd not spoken of the events at Costa del Sol since their departure, in fact, he had scarcely spoken at all.

_Who called out that Sephiroth reacted so? Why was it so important we leave immediately?_

Sephiroth had been in a progessively sullen mood as they traveled. It was as if the events at Junon and Costa del Sol had been one huge hallucination on her part. One that, by his sulky demeanor, he had borne unwilling witness to.

The silence was deafening, and she did not think she could handle one more minute of it.

"Sephiroth?" She said carefully.

He continued his impossible pace as if she had not spoken.

She paused a moment, contemplating pushing him further. _Like at Kalm..._ She smiled faintly at the thought. _A repeat of that would be nice...and maybe a 'part two'._

"Aeris!" Sephiroth sighed irritably, "I told you standing in one place on these tracks is dangerous! Hurry up!"

Aeris shook her head. _So he's in _that _kind of mood. This is going to be a _long_ trip._

_**/F/F/7/**_

She was in danger, he could feel it. If he did not get there quickly...

"_Cloud!"_ Tifa's exasperated cry echoed through the valley behind him, but it did not matter, there was no time to explain it to them.

"_CLOUD!_"

_Aeris...hold on...hold on..._

He knew if he could make it in time, what he felt would never be...Aeris would be safe...he would protect her! She was somewhere in the maze of abandoned railroads, that much he knew. He was only a little ways from her, if he could just make it in time...he _had _to!

Unbelievably, he made it to the tracks in only a minute. It seemed perfectly serene on the tracks..._too _serene.

A scream shattered the stillness. "_AERIS!_"

There was no thought, one instant he stood on the rails, the next he was plunging downward. He knew she was falling, and he knew if he didn't make it intime, she would never leave the water that waitedbelow.

_"CLOUD!"_

**_/F/F/7_**

He frowned slightly. He fully realize he should not be taking his chagrin out on Aeris, it was not as if _she _were the woman that had interrupted him, and in turn alerted him to his puppet's extreme proximity. It _was, _however, she who caused him to lose his perfect grip on control, the woman whose smile and touch would make him abandon all reason. It was that fact that irritated him to no end.

**_'I do believe I've tried to warn you about her, my dear son.'_**

Sephiroth frowned again. His mother never sugar-coated her words so much, except right before making an absurd proposition, or occasionally when she felt no amount of screaming or pain would quite get her anger across to him.

_'Mother...' _He cautioned tiredly

**_'Don't you 'mother' me! You seem to be getting distracted from our goal!' _**She snapped. Oh yes, it was an 'angry' mood. **_'Why do you insist on disregarding my advice? Don't you think your own mother would know what will only hurt you?' _**Perhaps she was warming up for a bit of both.

**_'Just _leave _the girl for now!' _**There it was.

Sephiroth smirked softly in spite of himself. _Mother is so predictable sometimes..._

**_'You can always come _back _for her!'_** She continued. **_'Unless you're willing to quit playing around, and get this over with!'_**

_'None of that now, Mother...we've been over this.'_

**_'What was that!' _**She snapped. **_'Don't you _dare _take that tone with me!'_**

Sephiroth flinched slightly, as she sent the equivalent of a motherly slap across their bond, of course her version of a 'slap' was a thorough clubbing to anyone human.

Not that _he _was human.

"Sephiroth?" Aeris called suddenly. "Are you alright?"

"Yes!" He snapped, still irritated by his mother.

"Stop it!"

He spun toward her, irritation and surprise mingling within him. She was frowning angrily at him, but there were tears shimmering in her eyes.

"Why are you doing this--no, _what _are you doing!" She continued, yelling her fool head off. "Why won't you tell me anything? What _happened _at Costa del Sol?"

"Shut up and move!" He snarled. "Now is not the time to discuss such things!"

"_No_!" She screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks. "_Now _is the time to talk about this! I won't let you treat me like trash! _Tell me _what is _wrong _with you!"

Perhaps it was instinct, but before Sephiroth even realized he had moved, he had closed the distance between them, and slapped her harder than he should have. Guilt rushed up to him as the angry red handprint flared up on her cheek, but his rage squashed it away with ease. _I did not just defend her to my mother to deal with this!_

"You think I treat you like trash? What's wrong...angry because I won't run off to bed with you? You think I'm some average joe you can woo while raising 5 kids? Some summer fling you can live out your fantasies with and then abandon?" He growled. "Perhaps you want _Strife_ instead? If youeven _dream _of having_me_, you'll have to actually be _committed_! I'm not a mutt for sale like Strife!"

As soon as the words escaped him, he wished he could take them back. Aeris was shivering from pain, sorrow, or perhaps both. She held a shaky hand to her cheek and lip, that was only now starting to bleed.

"I..._am_...committed..." She choked quietly, sinking to her knees.

_Oh Oh, Oh Oh  
So much for my happy ending  
oh oh, oh oh  
So much for my happy ending  
Oh Oh,Oh Oh, Ohhh  
Let's talk this over  
It's not like we're dead  
Was it something I did?  
Was it something you said?  
_

"Aeris..." he started, reaching for her, trying to find the words to apologize.

"No."

He paused, confused, and stared at her trembling form in silence as she fought to steady herself.

"No more." There was a cold anger in her voice as she looked up at him with tortured emerald eyes. "I've had enough of your mood swings...of your uncontrollable temper...of...of _you_! I won't take this anymore!"

_Don't leave me hangin'  
In a city so dead  
Held up so high  
On such a breakable thread _

He blinked. _What is she saying...?_

"I _tried! _I tried _so hard _to bear with it all, lying to myself, saying you weren't like this...that you really loved me...but..." She cut off in a sob.

"Aeris, I..." He began, still unsure of the situation.

"No!" She screamed. "It's over! Don't you understand! I won't _do _this anymore! You...you..can do what you want...I don't care...I don't...care..."

_You were all the things I thought I knew  
And I thought we could be_

"_Aeris!_" He pleaded, touching her shoulder. _She can't just leave! This can't just be the end of it! It _can't

"_LEAVE!_" She sobbed, shrugging him violently off, and curling into a ball.

For a moment, he just stared at her. He was trembling so much he thought he might fall off of the railroad._It...is...over? She expects me to take everything...everything I feel and drown it? Throw itaway! She thinks I haven't_ tried

_You were everything, everything that I wanted  
We were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it  
All the memories, so close to me, just fade away  
All this time you were pretending  
So much for my happy ending_

He could feel the presence of his mother in the back of his mind, he knew she was smug, but she was wisely leaving him alone at the moment. His hand brushed Masamune. _She thinks she can do this to me and get away with it?_

**_Even in sleep, she appeared the perfect angel, even awake._**

**_He had once wrestled with the thought of killing her, but now Masamune would never spill her blood again. _**

His hand wavered, and he shook his head to clear his thoughts.

**_"I love you, Sephiroth..." She said softly, "I knew you were perfect._** _**No other man living would have done what you just did. That's why I know you truly love me...not just for my body, but for me...even if you can never admit it."**_

He gave a choked sob, and reached down to grab her chin, pulling her face up for a kiss. One, parting kiss, was all he gave,and then he turned on his heel and walked away. He could never kill her...never.

_Oh Oh, Oh Oh  
So much for my happy ending  
Oh Oh,Oh Oh, Oh huh_

_It's over..._ Aeris' voice whispered in his mind once more.

He bit his lip hard. The taste of blood stung his tongue, but he cared not. _I am a man! I will not let her ruin me! I...I have a mission..._

There was the sound of wood splintering and Aeris screamed.

He spun around just in time to see Aeris disappear through a newly formed hole in the old, rotted, wood.

"_AERIS!"_

_**F/F/7**_

Cloud had burst off after he had muttered something about Aeris, and only Yuffie had been able to keep up with his break-neck pace. Luckily, she was shouting directions back at the rest of them, so they did not lose the rash soldier.

Despite many protests by Tifa, Cloud barrelled onward, as if driven by a demon.

_What has gotten _inta '_im!_

Whatever was wrong with him, Barret had runmuch too fast for far too long, and was about to collapse from exertion.

"When ah...git mah han's on 'im...I'm gonna _kill _'im!" He panted angrily, though no one paid him any mind.

Abruptly, they stopped, Cloud was standing a few feet infront of them, surveying the area warily. They had obviously entered the abandoned tracks of Corel, though Barret was unsure of exactly _when _they had done so, the run being a blur of exhaustion and pain.

A scream rang out through the tracks, and Cloud dove off into the abyss--presumably into the the water far below. Of course, falls did not seem to faze _that _particular soldier.

"_Cloud!_" Tifa screamed, moving as if to follow him.

Instantly, Barret grabbed her arm. "No! Ya can' go afta' 'im! Ya only be goin' ta ya death!"

"I agree." Nanaki said cooly. "He will most likely survive the fall, so if we wish to be reunited with him, we should follow this path to its end, and seek the shore."

"But--"

"Hey, I hate to go along with furry and sweaty over there, but they got a point." Yuffie interjected. "We can't go directly after him, so lets go the long way!"

"A-alright..." She whispered, noddedd weakly.

**_F/F/7_**

Aeris frowned worriedly, he was off in his own world again, completely on auto-pilot. He tried to be so covert about it, but that far-off look he always got gave it away. Sometimes, he would mouth words silently, as if he were talking to himself...or someone else.

Suddenly, he flinched as if something had hit him.

Concerned, her question toward his health was out of her mouth before she realized she had spoken at all. To her great annoyance, he simply snapped at her, and marched onward.

_That is _it_! I am not going to play this game anymore! He better have answers for me, or else!_

But when she vocalized her questions, he sneered and told her he did not have time.

"Stop treating me like garbage!" She screamed, losing control, tears hot on her face. "You _tell me _what's wrong with you _right now!_ I'm not waiting any longer!"

For an instant, rage twisted his features, and then there was a blinding pain on her cheek, accompanied by a resounding smack.

_Oh Oh, Oh Oh  
So much for my happy ending  
Oh Oh,Oh Oh, Oh huh_

The pain from his slap was nothing compared to the venom coming from his poisoned lips. Every accusing word that came from his mouth bit into her. _How dare he accuse me of wanting a one-night stand? After everything I've done for his benifit?_

She remembered the blonde soldier, Cloud, he had been hungry just to be in her presence, to please her, to gain her acceptance. He had been so charming. It had been so tempting to go with him, to figure out how it was supposed to feel to love and be loved back. But for Sephiroth she had refused it. _For him_...everything had been for him.

_You've got your dumb friends  
I know what they say  
They tell you Im difficult  
but so are they  
But they don't know me  
Do they even know you?  
All the things you hide from me  
All the stuff that you do, (All the stuff that you do)_

That he could say she wasn't committed...

Something snapped inside of her. _I can't take this anymore! No more! The mood swings, the accusations, being torn to shreds inside...it's just too much! _Slowly, she sank to her knees in disbelief.

"Aeris..." Sephiroth whispered, his tone reasonable again. A strong part of her wanted to forgive him of everything, to hold him again, to feel his love.

_No...I refuse to be hurt even more the next time he has a bad day..._

It was so hard for her to tell him...it was _so hard_ to see the hurt mirrored in his eyes. He looked like an innocent child asking why his puppy wouldn't wake up anymore, one that couldn't grasp the concept of 'death'. The innocence she saw in those depths clawed at her, begging silently for her to turn aside, to forgive him his latest transgression...promising he would love her even more. To her horror, she could not.

_You were everything, everything that I wanted  
We were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it  
All of the memories, so close to me, just fade away  
All this time you were pretending  
So much for my happy ending_

In the end, she could not even look him in the eyes. When she finally finished speaking, when he finally seemed to accept it, he just stood there. Just stood silently,trembling visibly. Oh how she longed to hold him...it hurt so much.

A gloved hand twitched to his sword_. So...this is how it will end? So be it...so be it...no matter what...I'll still love you..._

Something wet landed on her hand, and she went rigid with shock_. A...tear?_

_Sephiroth?_

There was a strangled sob, and she was hauled upward to meet the swordsman's lips. It was a sweet, painful kiss, tears stained his cheeks as he withdrew, glancing at her only once more before walking away.

_Walking away..._

_You were everything, everything that I wanted  
We were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it  
All of the memories, so close to me, just fade away  
All this time you were pretending  
So much for my happy ending._  
****

**_"What was that!" Aeris gasped, as the explosion rocked the sky._**

**_"Thunder, Aeris..." He whispered, "Have you heard it before?"_**

**_"I'm afraid...Seph...hold me..."_**

**_She felt him tighten his grip on her reassuringly, it was as if nothing could hurt her in his arms, she was safe. She wished they could stay in his arms forever..._**

**_"You'll never have to be afraid again, Aeris...never." Sephiroth whispered soothingly. "I'll always be with you."_**

_Seph..._

She opened her mouth to speak, to tell him to turn around, to beg his forgiveness...but no words would come...it was as if she were being controlled by some other being..._Seph...please...please don't just walk away..._

**/Crack/**

To Aeris' shock, the wood that had seemed to sturdy moments before that she knelt on suddenly snapped, sending her plummetting downward.

**_"Aeris!" Sephiroth sighed. "I told you staying in one place on these tracks is extremely dangerous!"_**

She saw a glimpse of Sephiroth's shocked and horrified face as he turned at the scream she had not realized she let loose. She wondered idilly, absurdly, whether it would hurt when she landed, or if death would be immediate. In the end, she found she didn't care anymore.

"_AERIS!_" Sephiroth cried from above her, it was a tortured sound.

_Will he save me this time? Can he?...I don't deserve it anymore..._

She realized numbly that there could be no second chances this time...

This is the end.

"_NOO!_"

_It's nice to know that you were there  
Thanks for acting like you cared  
And making me feel like I was the only one  
It's nice to know we had it all  
Thanks for watching as I fall  
And letting me know we were done_

**_F/F/7_**

A pair of red eyes glittered darkly in perverse satisfaction, even in glee.

It was perfect! Her puppet danced artfully to her strings in this act, and now...

If she had a body, she might have danced, if she had a voice-box, she might have 'whooped' or sang a song in joy...finally...finally he was hers alone once more.

_Oh Oh, Oh Oh  
So much for my happy ending  
oh oh, oh oh  
So much for my happy ending  
Oh Oh,Oh Oh, Ohhhhh Oh Oh,Oh Oh, Ohhhhh_

**Part 1 end**

* * *

AN: GASPEZ! What a cliff hanger. :P But then, it does seem Aeris goes through this every chapter, so what else is new? Is it different this time, though? COULD THIS BE THE END!

Now, before you cry FOUL, I plead that Seph does not have a lot of experience in being on the losing end of a breakup, give him some credit here. And _this _is what happens when you get a song like that stuck in your head whilst writingchapter. Let it be a warning to be careful whatcha listen to before writing!

_**Preview of chapter 9: Dangerous Commitment **Part 2(subject to change)_

_She looked between the three men in a daze. 'How...?'_

_"Well?" Sephiroth growled impatiently. "Which of us is it? I won't TOLERATE two-timing!"_

_She looked up at his pitiless aquamarine eyes. "Please..."_

_"CHOOSE!"_

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	14. Dangerous Commitment part 2

Disclaimer: If I owned Squareenix or anything associated with it, I would be wondering where my FF:AC copy was instead of cringing and hiding from all you nasty spoilers people.

AN: Hi-yo. I'm not in the BEST mood for a Fate update...I'm sulking about not having seen AC yet, and I just caught up with TLAA...bleh.

But at least I can reassure myself that TLAA _is _different than Fate...even if there are a scary amount of similarities between the two...

1: This is not soley a Aer/Seph story, this is just as much about AVALANCHE(and others...),I really try to give them equal time...but A/S is funner to write!

2: This will go farther into the game than TLAA seems to currently be going(vagueness here...don't want to cause spoilers)

3: There's lots and lots of 'fun' pairings in this one! XD

4: As far as I can remember, Aeris _CAN _swim in this fic! She's just had some rather...unfortunate...encounters with water.

5: The JENOVA hand in Junon was a bizzare freak coincidence between our two fics...I don't know whatAerseph4eva's doing with her JENOVApeices...but I do have a very specificplot in mind that is not based off of anystories original or fanbased that I know of.

6: As of now, NOTHING Advent Children will be a part of Fate--this is set BEFORE it, blast it. If I see it and see something I want to work in, there may be later that I have a few implications or such...but I can assure you as of now there will be no sudden appearance of Kadaj.

7: Fate is linked up to all of my A/U Cetra stories, and fits into that universe...not really the main FF7 one.

So, now that I am assured I am not some silly plagariser, lets do this!

Oh...and I suppose I should mention this chapter's a bit...eh..._risque_...yep.

I wonder if I'll ever have a bigger than 2-parter?

* * *

_Fate_

**Chapter 9: **_**Dangerous Commitment **Part 2 of 2_

He could see her slight form now, sinking rapidly. Instinctively, he grabbed her by her waist, and started to kick toward the surface.

**NO! **A voice hissed in his mind, causing pain to explode inside of his head. **There is a cave with air not far from here...GO THERE!**

The voice was so urgent, he did not even consider disobeying it, and swam toward where he felt the presence pulling him.

Something entered the water behing him, approximately where Aeris had landed.

_Sephiroth..._

A new sense of urgency possessed him, and he made the last few strokes to the lone outcropping of rock, faster than humanly possible. As he finally made it to the promised air-hole, he was surprised to find the walls and floor glowing with what looked like mako.

**A cave of the ancients...** The voice said knowingly. **She will not be harmed by it.**

"Who are you?" He said, fighting through the pain that simply the presence of the being was causing.

**I only wish the best for you and my daughter. **It answered cryptically, then departed.

Carefully, Cloud pulled Aeris up to the dry ground of the glowing cave. It was then that he realized she wasn't breathing.

**_F/F/7_**

There was no time for thought or reason. The fact that she had just announced that their already rocky relationship had ended meant nothing anymore...all that mattered was that she was falling, and he had to save her.

_No matter what._

It seemed he was only halfway down when she splashed into the water, disappearing into the bleak depths as if she had never existed. She'd resurface any moment.

_Any moment now..._

She was not resurfacing. Something was wrong.

_The current? Could it have pulled her under? _He wondered as he fell with increasng velocity. It was then that he became aware of his Puppet's close proximity to him. _How did he get so close? Only a minute ago he was quite far away! _

Only a minute ago, he had been arguing with his mother.

Thus, he had been distracted by his fight with Aeris while Strife neared. _Why does she _always _have that effect on me!_

As he entered the chill waters, he immediately reached out to find his puppet in the dark waters. Almost immediately, he locked onto him, swimming rapidly northeast.

_Where is he going?_

Shockingly, as he moved to intercept the Puppet, with its precious package, his connection severed...no...not severed...he could still feel the Puppet out there, but there was so much interference in the bond it seemed the Puppet could be anywhere in the the river. _Absurd!_

Sephiroth gave a feral growl, and swam faster in the direction he last sensed his puppet. _Whatever games Strife has learned, it will avail him little...that miserable little puppet will _never _have Aeris!_

**_F/F/7_**

He tasted blood heavily now, but it mattered not, all he could do was concentrate on the pain of his bitten lip--it was the only was he could concentrateat _all_, when he was so close toAeris.

He swallowed nervously as he undid the clasp to her mini-skirt, and hung it on the wall, if her soaked clothes remained on her, she wouuld catch cold or worse...unfortunately, the monstershe had recentlybeenheld hostage by had apparently banned her the use of underwear...and this left Cloud in a _very _awkward position.

Hurriedly, he backed up against the cavern wall, trying to look at everything but the angel laying bare on the cavern floor, her chest rising and falling softly, and her pale skin glistening wetly in the strange luminescence of the mako cavern. He could remember the feel of her silk-like skin beneath his, of her moist lips and the softness of the inside of her mouth...he had only meant to resuscitate her, but the sheer ecstasy of coming into contact with what was his other half--what was purity...made it seem like so much more.

He shuddered with the mere memory of the event.

Then, the angel's eyes fluttered open.

**_F/F/7_**

_They were finally together...after years of strife, finally they could be together. She smiled up at her lover as he leaned down to kiss her, to think that her dreams had finally become a reality...that he would embrace her without inhibition...that a cold hearted warrior could love someone like her._

_"I've always loved you, Seph..."_

_He smiled as he traced his hands along the curves of her body. "I love you too."_

_She almost cried then, to hear him say those four words...to finally admit...it was greater than any promise, any touch, greater than anything he could ever hope to give her._

_"I would have stayed with you forever if you had just told me that once..." she sobbed. "I would have suffered through anything for you!"_

_"I'm with you." He whispered in her ear. "I'll never leave...no matter what it looks like."_

_"Hold me."_

_Obediantly, her lover pulled her close in a soothing embrace. "I'll never leave you...I'll always protect you...I promise...I forgive you."_

_"Sephiroth!" She sobbed, clutching him tightly._

_In an instant he was ripped away, and she was falling again. To her surprise, she landed safely, and Sephiroth stood before her, perfectly illuminated in the darkness that surrounded her._

_"Sephiroth!" She cried happily, reaching for him._

_"Are you TRULY commited?" He sneered, knocking her away, sending her to her knees._

_"He will only hurt you!" A voice called out of the gloom, andCloud ran up to her. "Let me protect you! I love you! Come with me!"_

_"You...?" She whispered, surprised._

_"She's MY girlfriend!" Another voice cried, and to her great shock, Zack materialized out of the gloom. " We never broke up! None of you better touch her!"_

_"Zack...?"_

_"Well?" Sephiroth growled impatiently. "Which one of us is it? I won't TOLERATE two-timing!"_

_She looked up at his pitiless aquamarine eyes. "Please..."_

_"CHOOSE!"_

**_Choose, daughter...if you do not, we are doomed._**

_Time...she needed more time...how could she make this kind of desicion without hurting everyone else? It wasn't fair!_

**_Daughter..._**

_"Sephiroth!" She cried desperately. "I choose you, Sephiroth!"_

_"LIES!"_

She jumped awake with a scream.

Numbly, she looked around the cave she found herself in. It glowed beautifully, as if they were in some small room hidden in the very center of the planet itself, surrounded by lifestream.

_What happened? I remember falling...hearing Sephiroth call out...and then nothing..._

She realized suddenly that she was not alone. Sitting curled defensively ina far corner of the cave was the blonde soldier from Junon. He has the same desperate, hungry, eyes as before, and he was staring directly at her.

He swallowed nervously before speaking. "Are...are you alright?"

"Where am I?"

"In a cave...when you fell, I..."

_So...Sephiroth never saved me...it really is...over..._

_I forgive you_

"Sephiroth..." She gave a softsob. _Those words...where did they come from? He could never say anything like that to me..._

"Aeris..." Cloud said suddenly, curving an arm around her shoulder. "It's alright...you can cry...he lied to you...about everything. I'm sorry, Aeris...I wish I could have protected you..."

_That's right...he tried to warn me, didn't he? But I disregarded it all...refused to listen to the truth that was glaring me in the face..._

**_You were the one who left him, precious child, not the other way around. _**The planet reminded her softly.

_No! Don't you interrupt my thoughts now! Let _me _think this through! _Aeris snapped irritably.

As always, the planet aquiesed, and left her to her own thoughts. But that one statement was enough to bring her out of her funk, and she realized she was unclothed. Unclothed and pressed tight against a male. One that had already plainly expressed his interest in her.

"Where are me clothes!" She gasped, shrinking away from him.

"If they stayed on you...they were wet and cold..." He stammered, blushing ruby red and looking at the floor.

"Well then, I'm sure they're dry now." She said quickly, standing up and moving toward where she spied them hanging on the wall.

"No!" Cloud cried, leaping to block her way.

"What?"

"They...aren't dry yet." He said, then swallowed and closed his eyes to avoid staring at her.

Aeris frowned slightly, it seemed there would be only one way to get her clothes from his clutches. But it seemed so cruel she hated the idea of it.

_I'm sorry, Cloud..._ She thought sadly, then took a breath and leapt for her clothes, reaching over his shoulder for where they lay. Her brilliant plan, however, backfired...terribly. She fell into him and threw off his entire concentration as expected, but she never got the chance to exploit his weakness.

It was as if a barrier was blasted away from her senses, and she felt more alive than she had ever been.

She stared up in shock at the boy, savoring the strange new feeling. His brilliant sapphire orbs--so much more beautiful than they had appeared moments ago--met hers for a moment. The luminescent glow from the mako in his blood all the more intense by the pools of lifestream in the cave.

An instant later, he was kissing her, and she cried ouut in ecstasy as the rocks of the cavern floor dug into her back as he pushed her into the ground. His hands were everywhere at once, lighting a path of fire as they went, and his breath was hot against her neck as he shivered with anticipation.

"I love you..." He whispered into her ear, nibbling her lobe seductively. It was all she could do not to scream in wild exultation.

Blindly, she tore his cloth shirt off over his head as he ran his tongue and teeth along her breasts.

He paused, and looked into her eyes intensely a moment. "Are you certain about this?"

"Yes! _Yes!_" She gasped, nodding weakly.

He smiled then, and nodded, before calmly removing his overly large belt. _How can he be so calm!_

She gasped as he curved her legs around his hips and leaned down to kiss her once more. _This is what I want! This is _everything _I want! This is what Sephiroth could never, and _would _never give me!_

_Sephiroth_

She froze. She did not even realize she had ceased breathing until Cloud broke away with an alarmed frown on his face.

_I promised myself...that night in Kalm...Sephiroth would be my first...my only..._

But he had no interest in her, didn't he?

_And he struck me...and that matters...that matters..._

_Absolutely nothing._

"Aeris...?"

"I...love him..." She whispered hoarsely, hot tears burning down her cheeks.

For an instant, he seemed upset, then he nodded slowly, and moved away from her.

"I...I'm sorry..." she sobbed, rolling away from him and curling into a ball.

"No..." Cloud said softly. "I understand."

"Thank...you..."

"I'll change your mind." He whispered suddenly. "I'll make you love me."

For a moment, she was silent. There was nothing she could say to him in reply. She wanted to speak, but all she could think about was Sephiroth, all she could think about were his tears...his last kiss.

_AndI almost betrayed him...over what? A silly fight?_

Another strangled sob escaped her throat at the thought, and she was soon reduced to little more than a crying wreck.

_Sephiroth...Sephiroth where are you? _It was then that the planet returned to her.

**_F/F/7_**

He had searched for an hour now, but there was nothing. No matter how strongly he sensed his puppet in an area, it always turned out to be nothing.

_Aeris...Aeris where are you! _He cried in his mind. _AERIS!_

**_Open your eyes, child of destruction._**

_Who are you? _He replied. This presence was so unlike his mother...warm, peaceful...the feel of the presence seemed to lull him more than a mother's embrace rocking an infant. He had felt this once before...somewhere...

**_Our daughter calls for you, can you not hear it, oh child? _**The voice said simply...not that the perfect harmony of a thousand voices could ever rightlybe called 'simple'. **_See through the deception and free our beloved daughter._**

He might have asked it what it meant, but as soon as the voice finished speaking, the interference dropped, and he had a perfect lock on the puppet--who in turn knew _exactly _where Aeris was. An instant later, the interference was restored, but it meant nothing...now he knew where they were, and why he could not find the puppet before.

Mako. Or rather, lifestream. The overabundance of it in that area had thrown off his sensors and scrambled the puppet's position. Odd, though, usually when the puppet would enter a reactor, or some such thing, he could simply lock onto the Jenova cells that bound them. _Why was I unable to lock onto those this time?_

**_Save her. _**The voice pleaded.

_Well...whoever...or _what_ever you are...I'm saving her, but it's not for your sake._

With that last comment, he sped off toward the previously hidden cavern, and the presence graciously departed from him, leaving a ghost of the warmth behind to dissapate slowly.

He made it to the inconspicuous rock outcropping in no time flat, and swiftly found the small entryway he had missed before. He decided quickly to use the 'front door' so-to-speak, lest water spill in on Aeris and injure her in some way.

He picked up speed as he followed the tunnel, remembering the position his puppet had Aeris in the last time he walked in on the two...if that puppet of his had laid a _finger _on her this time...

To his surprise, the mako--and it apparently WAS Mako--was allconcentrated in the small air-holethe twowere hiding out in. The green glow of it was coloring the dark water near the entrance. Without pausing, Sephiroth propelled himself upward out of the waterand into the cavern.

What he sawboth surprised him and infuriated him. Aeris lay bare on the cavern floor, curled in a ball, sobbing. Strife sat in a corner, topless. The puppethad been staring at Aeris warily, but now the puppet was glaring wide-eyed athim, half-threatening, half-cautious.

Sephiroth smirked slightly. Strife's weapon was far away from him now, he would be dead in an instant if he went for it, and there was not spit he could do about it...judging from Strife's grim frown, the puppet knew it.

"_Sephiroth!_" Aeris cried suddenly, and to his shock, Aeris leapt into his arms. "Where _were _you?"

**_F/F/7_**

He had a blank look as he stared down at her...which of course meant he was too shocked to process anything at the moment. The moment passed in an instant, however, and he leaned down to claim her lips in a passionate kiss.

He was back...he was finally back...it was not a dream...

It felt like he had been gone an eternity.

As he withdrew from the kiss, his aquamarine eyes glistened with unspeakable love. Aeris know for absolute certain at that moment, he was the only man she ever wanted to kiss.

"Don't you dare leave me again." He whispered in her ear, ever aware of Cloud behind her.

"Never, Sephiroth...never, never, never."

"I don't understand what you're doing, Sephiroth." Cloud said suddenly, causing the newly reunited lovers to turn toward him. He was standing now, fully clothed and giant sword in hand. "But I won't try to stop you from leaving with her..."

"Oh, good...I don't feel like killing you right now, anyway." Sephiroth said coldly, his voicedevoid of the warmth that it held for her.

"I promise I'll find out what you are doing with her, though." He said harshly. "I _won't _let you hurt her anymore!"

"Perhaps I _will _kill you." Sephiroth yawned.

"No!" Aeris cried. _He can't just kill him! He can't!_

"What?" He said, irritation seeping into his voice as he turned his icy glare to her. "What are you naked? What did he do?"

"Nothing!"

_It's better he doesn't know..._

"Her clothes were soaked." Cloud said, a defiant tone in his voice. "If I had not taken them off, she could have gotten sick."

"_You _took off her clothes?" Sephiroth replied, raising an eyebrow. His tone was lethal...he was daring him to say 'yes'...he wanted any reason to kill him.

"If you had not allowed her to fall in the first place, I would not have had to." It was as if Cloud were taunting him on...as if the two of them were playing a deadly game of baiting...one that could only end with Cloud's death.

"Sephiroth!" Aeris tried again, desperate this time. "He saved my life...whether you want to accept that or not! Please...the least you can do is spare him this time! A life for a life, right? For me?"

He looked down at her again, then gave her a small smile. The smile was cold and cruel, but somehow she thought she could see his usual warmth hidden beneath it. "For you."

He looked back up at Cloud. "There you have it, you can live a few more miserable days...but next time I catch you near her, I will make sure it is the last."

With that, Sephiroth tightened his grip around her, and flew headlong into the cavern roof, busting through it in a shower of loose rocks, life-stream, and urgent river water. As they broke free of the water, and floated above the tracks, Aeris took a relieved breath of the night air.

It was good to be back.

**_F/F/7_**

He had decided it was too late to continue the trip, after all, despite the fact that the wretched puppet was chasing Aeris, he was an integral part of the plan, and Sephiroth just _hated _the thought of proving his mother right by ruining the plan over Aeris...oh the retribution he would recieve...not to mention the 'I told you so's

He sighed once more, as Aeris' sleeping form adjusted herself against him.

Even just the feel of her warmth against him was indescribable, the memories of Kyoko that often resurfaced now did not even hold the memory of something like this. Strange he would so often remember the woman who had betrayed him, the woman whom all his hatred was rightfully directed toward. What confused him was that a part of him wisched she was still here, perhaps not as the lover, but as the companion...the war buddy to whom he could reveal his darkest secrets, and still she...

He shook his head, ridding himself of such thoughts. His mother always hated it when he would dwell on some pleasant memory of Kyoko, she claimed it deluded him.

Aeris membled something in her sleep, and a tear ran down her cheek.

He suddenly wished very feircely that Kyoko were bacl, that she could share a round of ale with him, he wished he could ask her advice once more.

**_F/F/7_**

Red eyes glittreed in the darkness, fuming...how could this happen? If it could speak, it would have howled with fury.

So that's the way that rotten planet wanted to play it?

Very well...it seemed it was time to get _serious_.

**CH END**

* * *

AN: I could have had this up yesterday...but I needed the next chapter to put up the preview... 

I feel dirty...Aeris' reactions were too close to Miaka's in FY...but this situation was different! And Seph's the one with the long hair this time!

And I'm not going to kick Cloud around as much...

_**Preview of chapter 15: Shattered Dreams **part 1_

_It was as if the roll lasted forever, her throat stripped rawfrom herscreams._

_Abruptly, she was flying through the air. Her flight was short-lived, however, as she shortly slammed into a wall. She cringed at the loud crack she heard, and landed on the ground with a thump._

_'I hope that was the wall...' She thought to herself with a weak laugh, and tried to pick herself up._

_Toher horror, as shegot up to her knees,she heard a soft click, and the floor dropped out from under her, sending her plummetting downward..._

-Yusagi Sombermoon


	15. Shattered Dreams part 1

Disclaimer: If I owned Squareenix...this wouldn't be fanfiction, would it?

AN: Seems like every chapter is a 2 parter...mostly because my chapters are usually about 10 pages long (in big fiction)...but this is 20 or so...

Well, lately it has mostly been S/A and A/C, so this chapter I hope to return the balance the rest of _Fate _has had--AVALANCHE. Moreover, I have so much fun with them.

Yay! I'm _really _back now! XD (Now excuse me while I slink away before I get killed for taking too long...)

* * *

_Fate_

**Chapter 10: _Shattered Dreams _**_Part 1 of 2_

"_Cloud!_"

Slowly, the world returned to him, he was lying on the bank of a small river...mud was everywhere...in his hair, on his face, and smeared across his clothes.

"Cloud!" Tifa gasped, kneeling next to him. "What happened!"

_What happened...?_

_Sephiroth_

The memory of the previous day returned to him in a flood of pain, anger, and loss.

"I'm sorry, Tif."

The girl stared at him silently for almost a minute.

"Cloud?" She whispered, apparently surprised at something he said.

"Is there a problem with me apologizing?" He asked flatly.

"N-no."

"I...shouldn't have just shrugged you off like that, I've been a real animal lately."

"Hah! An how we gonna be helpin' ya rescue th' broad, eh?" Barret growled, stomping up to him. " 'Cause I know ya only int'rested in company 'cause ya can't git 'er wit' out us!"

"_Barret!_" Tifa snapped.

Cloud chuckled in spite of himself. For being so uncivilized, the big man was sharp.

"I would thank you not to call her 'broad'." He replied dryly. "If I needed _help _finding her, I'd look elsewhere."

"And just what does _that _mean?" Tifa asked, offended.

"I mean, as proven, people like you would only slow me down." He said bluntly, then rushed to complete his sentence before Barret decided to shoot him--as the scowl on the dark man's face indicated he was considering. "But I want you with me anyway, Tifa."

Her eyes widened slightly as she looked down at him, and she seemed to be unable to form coherent words for a few moments.

"It's alright, Tifa, you don't have to abandon AVALANCHE...I'd like to consider them all my friends, despite my unappealing behavior as of late."

Tifa gave a tremulous smile, and unshed tears glistened in her dark eyes. "Cloud..."

"_All _of us?"

If Barret's previous scowl meant he was considering shooting him, the way the man hefted his gun arm surely meant it was only a matter of time before he unloaded a clip into the annoying ninja that had broken the special 'moment'.

Cloud shook his head after a moment, the ninja could be replaced, after all…and there was no denying she was irritating—one should not have to put up several barrier spells and sleep with one eye open to ensure one woke up with the materia they went to sleep with.

"Lets go." He said simply, standing and glancing around the barren shore upon which he had woken.

"Cloud?" Tifa asked, frowning.

"My mission hasn't changed—I just want you with me on it—is that acceptable to you?"

She was silent a moment, then nodded. "Alright…"

He shrugged slightly as she walked off. That whole speech had _mostly _been true…

_**FF7**_

"So _this _is where you scrounged up my clothes, huh?" Aeris said dryly, scanning the barren town with a skeptical frown. "And I use the term 'clothes' loosely."

"Would you rather have continued the journey naked?" He asked wryly, raising an eyebrow. "I was under the impression that you took umbrage to being withheld your modesty."

"I would _rather _be naked than have to trudge around in these sweaty, chafing boots!"

"Very well then." He said without hesitation. "I never did like those boots, but what was I supposed to do when you claim you don't know your own size?"

"What does my size have to do with this? You _picked _them!"

"Necessity and whining women breed mistakes."

"I am not a whining woman!" She snapped, glaring at her companion.

"Of course you're not." He did not sound very convincing. "Thus, I certainly wouldn't want you to suffer any more discomfort, would I?"

Aeris gave a small yelp as he reached over and yanked her blue tee off her in one fluid motion.

"_SEPH! _We are _outside!_" She growled, clawing for the shirt the warrior kept deftly out of reach. "_Give it back!_"

"You complained about your boots, as well, didn't you?" He said coolly, as if he could not hear her protests as he grabbed her waist and reached for her right boot.

"Stop it, stop it, and stop it!" She growled, pounding on his back to no avail as he pried off one uncomfortable boot.

"_Tsk. _Look at this…" He chided, examining her bare foot with a cold precision. "Wear the boots and not the socks I provide you, and it's no wonder you're discomforted."

"I hate socks!" She pouted, crossing her arms and forcing herself to dwell on anything but his close proximity…getting all flushed would _not _get her back her shirt. In fact, it would likely end in her _wearing _those dreadful woolen monstrosities if she had not flung them off the first cliff she thought Sephiroth might not have been watching—not that she would put it past him to have went back and gotten them already.

"No need to blush over such a small thing, Aeris…it seems so unlike you, given our previous encounters." He smirked. "I'd think you were quite comfortable with nakedness by now."

"Well, you'd think wrong! Gimme my _clothes_!" She insisted, reaching futilely for the pieces of cloth and leather that he kept easily out of her reach. She felt her cheeks getting hotter the longer he kept her shirt out of her reach—due in no small part to the approving smirk he was casting at her exposed skin. "_Seph! _Quit it!"

"But I already have one boot—what could you possibly want with the other?" He reasoned. However, the hand running _up _her thigh, rather than _down_ toward her boots apparently had other ideas…ideas that Aeris was happy to entertain, as she closed the distance between them with a kiss. This time he did not seem the least bit surprised by her reaction—but then, he had been the one to instigate it, so she might have considered punching him if he tried to act innocent.

As always, when he 'planned' a kiss—or in other words, when she did not catch him off guard with a topless kiss—he broke away quickly, shaking his head and looking rather irritated with himself.

"You know this isn't right yet." He said quietly.

"It will _never _be right to you, will it?" She sighed. "If I'm so undesirable to you, why don't you just come out and say it?"

"You really think I don't want you." His voice was cold and distant, and there was a faint glimmer of hurt in his eyes.

She swallowed softly as she looked at him. She was familiar enough with him now to know if she was not careful this would erupt into another argument just as painful as the last. What if he left her this time? What if he did not turn around this time?

The sudden swell of fear dried her throat, and she could only stare silently as his agitation increased.

"Well, Aeris?" He sneered. "Is that really how you think of me? Come on, tell me!"

She was going to lose him. She was so terrified of him leaving that she was going to _make _him leave. No doubt, the fear was starting to show in her eyes, and he would think it was _he_ she was afraid of, rather than the lack of him. She was going to lose the man she loved; at it was her own fault.

"_Aeris_?" The agitation he undoubtedly felt showed through his tone. He really _was_ going to leave her now!

Something shattered inside her at the realization, and she flung herself against his chest, wrapping her arms around him in a desperate attempt to force him to stay with her, struggling and failing to hold back her broken sobs. "Don't go, Sephiroth, _please!_"

There was a momentary pause, as if she caught him by surprise, then strong arms enveloped her, and cool lips pressed comfortingly into her hair.

"Hush. Aeris…" He said softly, taking her chin in one hand, and turning her face up to his. Lovely aquamarine eyes shimmered with an emotion she could not identify, and his mouth turned down into a small frown. "I'm not leaving you…so stop trying to make me worry like this!"

She chewed her bottom lip slightly. "I'm sorry, Seph…"

He gave her a ghost of a smile. "As long as you explain yourself."

She gave him a sheepish grin a moment, as she realized how unreasonable her thought process had been. Through all of their troubles, Sephiroth had never given the slightest hint that he might leave over any of their many arguments. Even the last time, he had only left because she demanded it.

_So there was nothing to worry about, because as loud as his bark is, he only bites in dreams. Maybe it was just stress._ She allowed herself a slightly mischievous grin as she looked up at his aquamarine eyes. _Come to think of it…he doesn't bite _only _in dreams, after all._

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her smile.

"Um…PMS?"

He rolled his eyes. "Women. I suppose you will use that as an excuse not to run around naked. What a shame."

She realized then that she still had not yet reclaimed the articles of clothing he stole from her, and as such was pressing very inappropriately against him.

Blushing furiously, she made another swipe at her clothes. "_GIVE ME MY CLOTHES!_"

"In good time." He smirked. "But first…we need to get you better shoes."

_**F/F/7**_

"A mining town?" The brown haired woman repeated.

"Ya, we used ta be." Barret sighed. "Not anymore."

"What happened?" Yuffie asked, then yelped, and hid behind another rock when Cloud glared over at her.

"ShinRa."

"'ShinRa' happened to a lot if places," Cloud said coldly.

"Wha's _dat _supposed ta mean?" Barret growled.

"You speak as if you has a person experience with ShinRa—as you put it—'happening' to somewhere." Nanaki chirped.

"I'm an ex-SOLDIER." Cloud replied. "I know what they do—I did it too."

"Wha's the story behind dat, anyhow?"

"That." Cloud said firmly. "Is a story for another time."

"Teef, d'ya hear dis?" Barret complained, looking over at her.

"You know we don't have time now, Barret." She shrugged.

"Well, I'd say that's an incorrect statement." Yuffie said, placing her hands on her hips in something similar to her normal cocky posture. "The lift is down, and won't be up until at least tomorrow morning—I overhead the workers talking."

"If that is true, then we do have little more to do in this town than reminisce." Nanaki agreed.

"Of _course _it's _true!_" Yuffie growled, shaking her fist at the orange-red cat.

"Dis wasn't th' _real _town." He mumbled to himself, but the rest of the group seemed oblivious to him.

_**F/F/7**_

The only 'Inn' at the so-called 'town' was not really anything a self-respecting inn keep would call an inn. It was just a large room with several beds and a bathroom off to the side. The inn keep usually sat on a chair, but politely left when they rented the room.

Most of the crew had already relaxed; they had spent the remainder of the sunlit hours touring the small town, and confirmed their original suspicions. The term 'neighborhood' far better fit the small assembly of huts, than the term 'town'. Nanaki lying comfortably on the floor, Cloud studying the room carefully from his chair—which was the one the inn keep usually sat in—and she and Barret sat on their respective beds, trying to work out the kinks of the previous few days.

Only the ninja did not seem ready to turn in, as she sat perched on the windowsill, watching everything she could in the small town before the sun finished its journey toward the horizon.

_I wonder why Cloud changed his mind…it was all I could do to convince him to let us follow him at Costa del Sol, and even then it was more of a 'follow if you can' arrangement._

"So…" Barret said suddenly. "Wha's th' 'long story' ya'll been talkin' 'bout? Got plenny a' time!"

"What about yours and that _cat's_?" Yuffie shot back.

"Mebbe ya should talk 'bout yaself!"

"That's enough, you two." Tifa sighed. "It was a long time ago…"

She paused and looked over at Cloud. His expression was completely neutral, so she decided to continue.

"I don't know most of it, but…"

"It was seven years ago when it started." Cloud said suddenly. "When I left my hometown of Nibelheim to join ShinRa."

_**F/F/7**_

"It's so _amazing_!" Aeris gasped, peering out the window of the railcar excitedly.

"It's just an amusement park, Aeris." He sighed. "Before the war, there were many of them."

"Really?" She asked eyes wide.

"Yes." He replied, bored. "There wasn't enough funding for them, so all were shut down…this one only opened recently."

She gave a small smile. "Hey, Seph…have you ever been in an amusement park?"

He glanced over at her in irritation a moment. "You must be joking."

"How else do you know so much about them?"

"What do so mean 'so much', Aeris?" He asked, slightly bewildered at her comment. "I _did _live before the war, you know."

"The war…you mean the Wutain war, right?"

He glanced over at her a second, before nodding slightly. "I don't know of any _other _wars in the past century or so."

She frowned slightly. "Why only Wutai?"

"What?"

"Well, I was wondering, out of the whole world, why did only Wutai resist?"

"Pride."

"What?"

"They resisted because they were stubborn and proud." He said plainly. "Bound by tradition and ceremony, they did not wish to be contaminated by ShinRa's mechanical ways."

He shook his head. "It resulted in a long and bloody war that almost destroyed both sides. Perhaps they won after all."

"How?"

"Have you ever seen Wutai?"

She shook her head. "Only in pre-war pictures."

"If you were to go there before the war, and then go there now, very little will have changed after the war. There is no reactor, no stench of mako, and no patrolling soldiers…the city is almost a defiance of the times simply by its existence."

"But why?"

"Revolts and the like." He said with a small smirk. "Without _me _to keep the peace with an iron hand, they could not make a successful occupation of the nation, and in the end were forced to settle for a rule in name only."

"Well, aren't _you _special?" She said with a sarcastic chuckle. "I have one more question, though."

"What else?"

"How did ShinRa, a simple corporation, seize control of a world?"

"Pride." He said coolly, string at a memory of a balding and overweight man.

_If you control a people's economy, you control the people._

"The governments paid little attention to the corporation. How could it be a threat? The entire world had become lethargic slobs."

"Why?"

"I wasn't there, Aeris. I've only read about it." He said flatly, shifting his gaze to the young woman. "I'm not _that _old."

"Gee, I hope not!" She giggled.

"Stay close to me when we get there." He said, changing the subject.

She nodded softly. "Okay."

"I'm only here for some information, then we leave, no loitering, no dawdling, understand?"

"In an amusement park? What a terrible waste!"

"Aeris…"

_**F/F/7**_

She smiled slightly as she held on to his arm, nuzzling up to him.

"When the door is open, you will _not _be holding me like that." Sephiroth warned.

"You're no fun!" She giggled, smiling up at him.

"I'm serious."

She sighed loudly, and elbowed him, before standing up straight. He gave her one of his patented 'glances', that she had yet to work out, and then walked out the railcar.

"H-hey! How can I stay close when you run off like that!" Aeris complained, racing after him.

He acted as if she did not even exist as he walked up to the ticket lady, fishing absentmindedly for something in his coat.

"Welcome to Gold Saucer! Tickets are--"

He flashed something shiny and yellow at the lady. "She's with me."

"Ah, a lifetime pass! Have fun, sir!"

Without another word, they walked into the strange mog-shaped building.

"Lifetime pass?" She laughed, looking around the circular room. "I thought you had never been here before."

"I won a company contest." He said simply. "That was the prize."

"A…contest?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "So _that _is what the mighty corporation ShinRa supplies its soldiers with as rewards."

"Occasionally."

As Sephiroth walked up to a display map, Aeris wandered up to one of the strange, glowing tunnels. The word written along it was 'WONDER'.

"A…slide…?"

Sephiroth glanced over at her. "No, not that one, Aeris."

"You know…I haven't _really _been on a slide since I was a kid…" She glanced over at Sephiroth with a wicked smile.

After a moment, his eyes widened slightly. "Aeris, don't you dare…"

She laughed and jumped down the slide.

"Aeris--!" Whatever scolding he had been yelling was lost in the slide's colorful twists and turns.

Sadly, her joyride was all too short, and Aeris found herself flying momentarily through the air, before landing on her feet—she almost fell backward into the slide, but was able to catch her balance. She was standing in a small, triangular open-air room. There were stairs a ways off, leading up to a large building, and a large TV screen mounted on the glass surrounding the steps and walkway to the building advertised coming attractions

There were many tubes drilled into the floor around her, presumably leading to other areas, and kids ran everywhere in the area with fat chocobo mascots, laughing as they played.

_There is so much joy here…it's so beautiful. _She smiled softly. _These amusement parks are nice…_

"Aeris…" Sephiroth said in barely more than a growl.

"This place is so _wonderful_!" She laughed, spinning around and leaping into his chest, curving her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much for taking me here!"

He sputtered incoherently a few moments, before frowning severely, and pushing her off himself rather roughly.

"_Aeris_!" He scolded. "What did I—"

"_W-Wahhhh!_"

It was funny how time sometimes seemed to slow, and then happen all at once. It was downright confusing sometimes.

From the tunnel they had come from, came a large, rotund mascot, spinning his arms frivolously and looking rather moronic in doing so. Sephiroth turned toward the mascot, reaching for his sword, but for once, his reflexes were not the best option to follow, and the creature-man slammed full into Sephiroth before the platinum-haired soldier could bring his sword to bear. The impact only sent Sephiroth stumbling backward a few steps, and he quickly recovered, his stumble caused him to collide with Aeris rather violently, and sent her tumbling and screaming down a tunnel behind her.

Although she was sliding much more quickly than before, it seemed as if the roll lasted forever, as screams ripped her throat raw. Abruptly, she was flying through the air, spinning wildly.

Her flight was short-lived, however, as she slammed almost immediately into a wall. She cringed at the loud crack she heard behind her, and landed onto the ground with a groan and a thump.

_I hope that was only the wall_… She thought to herself with a weak laugh, as she tried to pull herself up.

To her horror, as she got up to her knees, she heard a soft click from the ground, and the floor dropped out from under her. Screaming, she found herself once again tumbling out of control through the Gold Saucer's crazy tunnels.

_Oh yeah…Seph's gonna kill me when he catches up._

In spite of her situation, she gave a slight laugh as she spiraled through the tube thing.

Her laughter died in her throat, when she heard a distinct sound that was no echo…approaching laughter. She only just barely had time to turn her head to see the man's wide-eyed stare, before she crashed into him.

_**F/F/7**_

"And…after that, I decided to become a mercenary, and go to Midgar." He said coolly, finishing his story.

"I dun get it."

"What?"

"Any'v it." Barret sighed. "If ya beat that Seph-dude, how can he be harras'n yer girlfr'nd now? If not, why're still alive?"

"I don't know."

"Whaddaya _mean _'_I dun know'_!"

"I don't." He said matter-of-factly. "I can't remember."

"Tha's sumthin ya dun jes ferget!"

"Obviously." He sighed, shaking his head. "The real fun part is that I can't remember _why _I can't remember."

"Uh…huh?" Barret mumbled, confused.

"But why a mercenary?" The irritating ninja asked.

"If not, then what else?" He said flatly. "It's not like there's any other armies around to join."

"Hm…I guess not."

"Alright, people." Tifa said suddenly, glancing out the window. "It's already dark out…we need to be up early if we want to catch the first car out—and according to the schedule, we _want _to catch the first car."

"Aww…already?" The ninja complained.

"Ugh…early morn'n ag'in…." Barret sighed, flopping back in bed.

Cloud himself said nothing as he slipped off his boots and slid into bed. He would dream of Aeris tonight…he was sure of it.

"It's been a long time since we were just a couple of kids at a well…making silly wishes…" Tifa whispered, leaning closer to him to turn off the light.

"Too long." He nodded, glancing nonchalantly over at her. "Those silly dreams were a lifetime ago."

Her face fell slightly, but she smiled softly. "Yes…they were."

Without another word, she switched off the light.

"Hey! I was still changing!" The ninja cried.

**CH END

* * *

**

AN: Don't you ever wonder how GS avoids accidents like that? Now, kudos to anyone who can figure out where she was, and where she is headed. You can do it! ;)

Heh, my favorite scene personally is definitely the A/S scene in Corel, cause it's all ad lib, and far better than the original I wrote for it. /grin/ This is going to be a _long _story…have you guessed that, yet? Heh, and only I get to know what that whole scene looked like from Seph's POV...>XD

I'm really starting to enjoy the dynamics between the characters (though most of them haven't developed yet) At the moment, I think I enjoy writing Cloud/Yuffie's 'relationship', it's non-complicated and pretty fun…S/A's can be _very _difficult to write… >>;

Individually…I think I enjoy AVALANCHE as a whole—they have such fun chemistry to tinker with…even if Barret's weirdly hybrid accent can be trying at times. XD (Course, the plot has developed enough for me to comment much on the romantic relations…but I do enjoy writing Cloud's POV of it all—although I enjoy A/S's too, naturally. XD)

Heh. Aeris…found her way into _more _trouble. Sephiroth…No doubt needs some Prozac. Yuffie…is picked on.

Sounds like just a normal chapter in Fate! XD

**Preview for _Shattered Dreams _**_Part 2 _(subject to change)

_Her gentle beauty seemed a mockery against the perverse and disgusting scene around her…it was as if some one had drained all of her blood, and splashed it across the room in a twisted work of art._

_Tears burned his cheeks as he took in the image of the tearstained angel so brutally murdered by the darkest demon known to man._

_Sephiroth._

Alrighty! Yay for violent scenes! Cyas!

4/12/06 5:17:45 PM

-Yusagi Sombermoon


End file.
